Image for “Understated” Liverpool hero earns huge praise for performance vs LASK – “Superb player”
Image for “Understated” Liverpool hero earns huge praise for performance vs LASK – “Superb player”
There were plenty of impressive performers in Liverpool’s 6-3 victory away to LASK, with Trey Nyoni described as “superb” at the heart of the midfield.
The Reds were emphatic in the Champions League on Wednesday evening, with Bradley Barcola scoring a hat-trick and Ronald Araujo, Jeremie Frimpong and Lewis Koumas also finding the net.
For Andoni Iraola, it felt like an important win, following the 3-0 loss to Manchester City, while captain-on-the-night Kostas Tsimikas was in positive spirits after the game:
“Representing my dream club, on a Champions League night, as a captain, with a win and some assists serving?! Little Kostas, we made it happen, kid. Never stop dreaming and believing, guys. Dreams can come true. I made some of mine come true today and it feels great. I am so grateful.”
So many individuals shone on the night, with Florian Wirtz much improved and the under-fire Frimpong doing well, too, but Nyoni was arguably as assured as anyone.
The 19-year-old kept things neat and tidy in midfield, complementing Ryan Gravenberch and Wirtz well, and on X, journalist Bence Bocsak described him as a “superb player”.
Meanwhile, I was similarly effusive in my praise, saying: “I love Trey Nyoni. You don’t notice him in the best possible way. Just pure understated intelligence.”
Trey Nyoni is now a genuine option for Liverpool
Granted, LASK won’t be the best side Liverpool play this season, but Nyoni’s performance once again showed what an exciting and maturing footballer he is.
According to FotMob, the Englishman completed 92% of his passes against the Austrian side, 10 of which were line-breaking ones, and he also made three clearances and four recoveries.
On current evidence, there would be no issue with Nyoni starting an important Premier League game for Liverpool, and if anything, he adds more balance to the midfield as a natural No.6 than the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
It is going to be fascinating to see how the teenager develops in the coming years, and Iraola clearly values him, lauding him during an excellent pre-season:
“Trey is very good on the ball, very calm, he reads the situations well. We’re forcing him in the work without the ball, in the press, and he is absolutely doing very well. I think the timings of the jumps are very good.
“He is always confident on the ball so we encourage him. Sometimes even if he loses the ball, ‘try to find the No. 10, try to find the No. 9, even balls in behind, look a little bit further’ because he can do it, because he is so good.”
There is competition for places at Liverpool, which is only natural, so Nyoni will have to retain an excellent level to be a regular starter, but the current evidence is only positive.
The Reds head to Brentford in the league on Saturday afternoon, which has the potential to be a tough game, and while Nyoni will likely be on the bench, his poise and technical ability could be much-needed at some point during the match.