Dominik Szoboszlai

[SB]

Baitman liked to tell us Trent was also often wasted walking

[Yozza]

Dominik Szoboszlai has stood upfor Liverpool. His team-mateskeep letting him down

Liverpool’s late implosion was cruel on Dominik Szoboszlai.

The Hungarian midfielder had looked set to bask in the glory of being Liverpool’s match-winner against old foes Manchester City at Anfield. He had produced another moment of awe-inspiring brilliance for his growing collection with the unstoppable 30-yard free kick that fizzed beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate reacted to that breathtaking strike by putting their hands on their head in disbelief. They should not have been surprised because Szoboszlai has repeatedly stepped up to the plate during this troubled campaign.

Only Hugo Ekitike (15 goals) has bettered his tally of nine goals and he leads the way creatively, providing seven assists. With four direct free-kick goals under his belt in 2025-26, Liverpool haven’t had a more potent dead-ball specialist since Luis Suarez netted five in 2012-13.

His numbers are even more impressive when you factor in how he’s been shunted around by Arne Slot to fill gaps. Szoboszlai made no secret of the fact that he doesn’t want to be playing right-back. Why would he when he’s clearly Liverpool’s most complete midfielder? But with injuries cutting deep, he’s put the team first.

No player on either side came close to the 113 touches Szoboszlai enjoyed on Sunday — a sign of his influence and the responsibility he embraces.

Yet, not for the first time this season, he was badly let down by those around him.

His piece of genius separated the sides entering the 84th minute but during a chaotic finale, the hosts conspired to grab defeat from the jaws of victory. It was the latest Liverpool have ever led in a Premier League game before losing.

Their misery was compounded by Szoboszlai’s dismissal for dragging back Erling Haaland deep into stoppage time when the net was gaping, with goalkeeper Alisson marooned upfield. He prevented a goal but picked up a one-match ban.

As referee Craig Pawson revealed his fate after being sent to the monitor by the VAR, Szoboszlai offered a wry smile, then headed for the tunnel. How quickly, how brutally, things had unravelled after the buzz of making the breakthrough in such thrilling fashion.

He will miss Wednesday’s Premier League trip to Sunderland, so Slot is set to turn to another of his midfielders, Curtis Jones or Wataru Endo, to fill in at right-back. It’s a bleak scenario. Jeremie Frimpong and Joe Gomez are still out, along with the long-term absence of Conor Bradley.

“Jeremy, for sure not available,” Slot said. “I don’t expect Joe to be back on Wednesday either. Let’s see what decision we make. Dom played a very good game in that position but unfortunately, he’s unavailable.”

Szoboszlai’s opener will sit alongside Daniel Sturridge’s effort from the 2016 Europa League final against Sevilla in Basel in the vault of stunning Liverpool goals that were ultimately deemed irrelevant by the result.

Slot was left cursing Pawson’s failure to send off Marc Guehi after he cynically pulled back Mohamed Salah just outside the box in the second half when the game was still goalless. Guehi was certainly fortunate to escape with a yellow card, but this wasn’t a tale of burning injustice.

Liverpool were their own worst enemy as their hopes of Champions League qualification suffered another blow. Why did they effectively squander the opening 45 minutes by starting the game so passively?

It completely negates the Anfield factor when you gift opponents the initiative like that. City weren’t just allowed to settle; they were allowed to dominate. There was so little to enthuse the home fans that the atmosphere was horribly flat.

According to Opta, Liverpool faced 10 shots in the first half — the joint most on record in a Premier League match at home. City had 61 per cent possession and their passing accuracy in the final third was 84 per cent before the break compared to Liverpool’s dismal 43 per cent.

Clearly, part of Slot’s game plan was to go long to try to exploit the space behind City’s back line, but it didn’t work. They just kept losing the ball cheaply and didn’t force a single save before half-time.

“First half, City were the better team without creating that many big chances. They played easier with the ball,” Slot said.

“Second half, our standards went up. Standards in terms of intensity. We were pressing them all over the place and that is the biggest improvement we have made in the last three or four months. The whole team is now able at the highest level to do so well off the ball. Fantastic second half.

“I was expecting more than being 1-0 up, but we weren’t and then two goals conceded…”

It’s not rocket science. With greater tempo and intensity from Liverpool after the interval, the decibel levels were raised inside Anfield and the players fed off that energy, knocking City off their stride. That has to be the blueprint — or Slot will lose hearts and minds.

Liverpool should have been out of sight. Ekitike picked a bad day to lose his ruthless streak as he wasted two golden opportunities. Another big chance fell to Florian Wirtz but his effort lacked conviction. Salah, who had five attempts, has failed to score in his last seven league appearances.

Rather than stay on the front foot after Szoboszlai’s free kick, Liverpool retreated and paid the price. The contrasting strength of the two benches was stark. The introductions of Ruben Dias and Rayan Cherki bolstered City, whereas Slot was slow to take off the ineffective Cody Gakpo, with Jones still waiting to be introduced when the visitors equalised. Alexis Mac Allister failed to block Cherki’s cross, Konate lost out to Haaland in the air, and Bernardo Silva stole in behind Van Dijk to score.

It was all so avoidable — just like City’s winner. Mac Allister and Jones were caught napping by Matheus Nunes’ run in behind and then Alisson was so rash as he needlessly brought him down.

Haaland scored from the spot to secure City’s first victory in front of supporters at Anfield since 2003 and their first league double over Liverpool since 1936-37.

It was the fourth time the champions have conceded a stoppage-time winner in the Premier League this season. How costly those points could prove to be come May.

Slot bemoaned the fine margins but there have been far too many hard-luck stories. The reality is that Liverpool wilted. Szoboszlai deserved so much better.

[danperkins]

Yeah even at RB, he was by far the best player on the pitch. He's demanding the ball, he doesn't stop running, he's always talking and directing which is obviously a big reason why he captains his country & he's still getting forward and shooting. He's a class act & yeah everyone else has let him down.

[peterbread]

After losing yesterday and the frustration we all feel let’s appreciate the free kick from Szoboszlai.

Ridiculous hit and the way it just went off to the right after going straight was a thing of beauty. Look at the reactions of VVD and Konate, hands on heads and the keeper didn’t even move.

I could watch that one over and over.

[Kenneth]

He looked absolutely gutted when they equalised.

[Buzzo]

Yep. An absolute thunder*******.

[ame]https://twitter.com/bbcsport/status/2020659652078268479[/ame]

[Charly]

My worry is that we have lost all momentum, players like Dom will be top targets. Really need to pick it up soon

[danperkins]

Yeah we would be naive to think that the likes of Real and Barca aren't keeping tabs on him. No Champs League football could have major repercussions.

[rudedog]

Technically, he didn’t even stop a goal scoring opportunity as the ball went in anyway.

The only person preventing a goal scoring opportunity was the ref so really VAR should have intervened and sent the ref off

[Exiled_red]

Technically, he didn’t even stop a goal scoring opportunity as the ball went in anyway.

The only person preventing a goal scoring opportunity was the ref so really VAR should have intervened and sent the ref off

I think it came out earlier in the season with some incident that DOGSO is a personal thing rather than a team thing, so he denied Haaland an opportunity to score, even though City did score. So technically an offence even if it is dumb as ****.

Szoboszlai fouled Haaland and Haaland fouled Szoboszlai, surely the sensible thing to do would be let both fouls go and the goal stand, that's the best outcome for everyone.

[Cerbie]

I think it came out earlier in the season with some incident that DOGSO is a personal thing rather than a team thing, so he denied Haaland an opportunity to score, even though City did score. So technically an offence even if it is dumb as ****.

Szoboszlai fouled Haaland and Haaland fouled Szoboszlai, surely the sensible thing to do would be let both fouls go and the goal stand, that's the best outcome for everyone.

oh do piss off with your total common sense - the PL and PGMOL will be having none of that!

[Paul12]

I think he is prone to massively over complicate things.

Weve definitely got the potential of squad depth but Arnes lack of trust with some of them is a constant issue.

But some of them are simply not good enough.

[Kenneth]

Win ratio of PL games with Dom: 60%
Win ratio of PL games without Dom: 100%

[SB]

Win ratio of PL games with Dom: 60%
Win ratio of PL games without Dom: 100%

How many matches for each scenario? And does he not play some easier matches we consider safe to rest him?

[Kenneth]

With him it's 6 wins and 4 losses. Without it's 2 wins from 2. The wins without him were Sunderland and Wolves so it's all nonsense really. I was bored.