Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister were on the scoresheet as Liverpool won their Champions League opener at home to Atletico Madrid 2-1 on Wednesday night
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 9: Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool celebrate 2nd goal during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between Liverpool FC and Atletico de Madrid at Anfield on September 9, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai celebrate Liverpool's winning goal against Atletico Madrid (Image: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
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Dominik Szoboszlai believes he is developing an almost telepathic understanding with Alexis Mac Allister with the Liverpool duo having become the early first-choice midfield pairing under Andoni Iraola.
Szoboszlai and Mac Allister both scored as the Reds came from behind to open their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday evening.
It was the third successive game they have started together at the base of the Liverpool engine room this season, with Mac Allister on the bench for the opener at Newcastle United in which Ryan Gravenberch was the preferred option.
While regularly selected in the same midfield during the previous three years, it was usually either with Szoboszlai in an advanced position or, under Jurgen Klopp, with only one player in a deeper role.
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And Szoboszlai reckons that is contributing to the pair getting to grips with the demands of operating under Iraola in such a key area of the team.
“I’ve said it many times, I love to play with Macca.," he said. "We know each other, without actually talking when you look at someone and he knows what you want to do and I know exactly what he wants to do – I think that helps the team as well.
"It’s the manager’s decision who will play the next games and I think everyone is ready to compete with each other but we have to become a family. Can we be a successful pairing long-term? We can, we can."
Gravenberch was a regular starter for the two years in which previous boss Arne Slot was in charge, although Mac Allister and Szoboszlai featured in more games overall last term.
And Szoboszlai added: "The guys play who the manager puts in at the end of the day. It’s not our decision; I like to play with Ryan, I like to play with Flo (Wirtz), I like to play with Wata (Endo), I like to play with Trey (Nyoni).
"I like to play with everyone and probably they like to play with each other and like to play with me – hopefully. At the end we need everybody because the season is long and we are in all competitions and we want to be in all competitions until the end."
New £123million signing Bradley Barcola made his first start for Liverpool on his home debut since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain, and Szoboszlai is confident adding the experience of a two-time Champions League winner is a major bonus to the squad.
“Of course," said the Hungary international. "He is a great player, he showed it in Paris. We need everybody with these qualities. He got tired a little bit, which is normal because he defends and gives everything what we need. I think he will be ready for the next games also.
"Ronald (Araujo) is playing right-back, which is not his position, Bradley came in as a right-winger, which normally he likes to play from the left, but that’s why we have to adapt to each other. These are things we have to learn and move on to the next one."
Asked about the progress under Iraola, Szoboszlai added: “I think it goes quite well. We know what he wants, he is figuring out which players he needs to do that.”
Liverpool's victory continued their unbeaten start under new head coach Iraola, and represented only the third time the Reds had come from behind to win a game since claiming the Premier League title almost 18 months ago.
“After a setback it is not easy to come back into the game, we have seen last season from losing a game we hardly created anything afterwards," said Szoboszlai.
"But now it was a good reaction, we didn’t panic too much, we kept the same system, we kept playing the same way, and in the end you will have your chances because of the quality of the players and we know each other and what to do. I think this is the most important.
“It was a good push for us, to take the win over the line. We’re not looking at the three games in front we are trying to focus on Fulham (on Saturday at home in the Premier League) right now. We focus on ourselves, and not on what someone thinks of us."
Szoboszlai, who signed new long-term contract during the summer, has been given extra responsibility this season having been named by Iraola alongside Alisson Becker and Joe Gomez as one of three vice-captains following the departure of Andy Robertson.
“It was a nice feeling, a proud moment for me, even though we have three vice-captains there were not so many vice-captains in (the history of) Liverpool FC so I take that, I take the responsibility for that as well," he said.
"I’m trying to show it on the pitch every time, off the pitch as well, trying to become even more a leader after last season. That’s my plan for the upcoming years."