Szoboszlai ´loving´ midfield unity with Mac Allister and Gravenberch

Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai “loves” playing alongside Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch in Arne Slot’s new-look midfield.

Szoboszlai had an up and down first season at Liverpool following a big-money switch from RB Leipzig.

The Hungary international has started eight of Liverpool’s nine matches this season, including Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Bologna in the Champions League.

Szoboszlai has formed a strong midfield trio alongside Mac Allister and Gravenberch, and he is revelling excelling in the unit.

He told Liverpool’s official website: “I love to play with them. I said it before, a lot of qualities what these two have – but the whole team [as well].

“The midfield is not enough. Of course it’s an important role but we need everybody, we need the bench as well, we need the whole squad because there’s going to be times where it’s going to be hard and I think there are still 60 games to come!”

Slot has been shortlisted for the Premier League’s Manager of the Month award in September.

Liverpool sit top of the standings with 15 points, having won all but one of their league matches under Slot, losing 1-0 to Nottingham Forest in September.

“If you take the Nottingham Forest game away then it’s a perfect start,” added Szoboszlai.

“We are top of the league and we have to continue like this.”

The Reds take on Crystal Palace in Saturday’s early kick-off in the Premier League.

Slot is looking to become just the fourth manager in Premier League history to win each of his first four away games in the competition after Felipe Scolari (first eight), John Gregory (five) and Bobby Gould (four).

Morning, Reds pic.twitter.com/uPYMDzjDNZ

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 3, 2024

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Crystal Palace – Jean-Philippe Mateta

Mateta has scored 15 goals in his last 11 home games for Palace in all competitions, netting multiple goals in five of these 11 appearances (four braces, one hat-trick).

Liverpool – Mohamed Salah

Salah has scored in all three of Liverpool’s Premier League away games so far this season.

There have been nine previous occasions of a player scoring in his side’s first four on the road in a single campaign – Salah could be the first player to do so twice (also in 2021-22).

MATCH PREDICTION: LIVERPOOL WIN

Liverpool have won all three of their Premier League away games this season – only in 1990-91 and 2019-20 have they ever won their opening four away games in a league campaign.

Palace, on the other hand, remain winless in their six Premier League games so far this season (D3 L3). Only in 1992-93 (eight), 1994-95 (seven), 2004-05 (seven) and 2017-18 (seven) have they gone longer without a win from the start of a top-flight campaign, being relegated at the end of the first three of those.

In 30 previous Premier League meetings between Palace and Liverpool, 14 have been won by the away side (47%). This is the highest away win ratio of any of the 109 fixtures to be played 30+ times in the competition’s history.

Palace have conceded more Premier League goals against Liverpool than they have against any other opponent both overall (69) and at home (38). Indeed, the Reds are responsible for the Eagles’ two biggest home defeats in the competition’s history (6-1 in August 1994, 7-0 in December 2020).

Each of Liverpool’s last four Premier League defeats against Crystal Palace have come at Anfield – they are unbeaten in their last nine at Selhurst Park (W8 D1) since a 3-1 loss in November 2014.

Palace have lost 11 of their last 14 Premier League meetings with Liverpool (W1 D2), though that sole victory was in their last such meeting at Anfield in April.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Crystal Palace – 18.5%

Liverpool – 60%

Draw – 21.6%