Natasha Dowie has singled out one Liverpool player who she believes will be ‘huge’ for Jurgen Klopp’s side this season, comparing them to an Anfield legend.
Dominik Szoboszlai has made a flying start to life on Merseyside since his £60m arrival from RB Leipzig in the summer (BBC Sport), impressing fans and pundits with his energetic displays and scoring his first goal for his new club in the 3-0 win over Aston Villa at the start of this month.
Speaking on the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily Podcast, Dowie voiced her admiration for the Hungarian’s early performances and said that the 22-year-old reminds her of a famous figure who previously captained the club and wore the same shirt number as him.
She gushed: “I love the midfield. Szoboszlai and his partnership with [Alexis] Mac Allister, that has been a standout. He’s similar to kind of Jude Bellingham, that vibe around him at the moment.
“Szoboszlai, in my opinion, has everything as well. He reminds me of a young Steven Gerrard and I think he’s going to be huge for Liverpool’s success this season.”
The Hungary captain has been sensational in his first few weeks at Liverpool, and the statistics reflect how quickly he’s become a crucial member of Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Even with just four matches gone in the Premier League, he’s one of only two outfield players to be ever-present for the Reds, while he features highly within the squad for a series of metrics, as per WhoScored.
He ranks fourth at Anfield for tackles (1.3) and shots (two) per game, with only one teammate surpassing his match average of 1.8 key passes and nobody able to match his return of 1.8 successful dribbles per 90 minutes.
That Szoboszlai is already eliciting comparisons with Gerrard so early in his Liverpool career is a massive compliment from Dowie, considering what an icon the former captain had been for the club in his playing days.
However, it’s virtually impossible to fault how the Hungarian has played so far for the Reds, and the numbers show that he’ll surely be a major component in any success his team might enjoy this season.
#Ep89 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones🎙️