Ryan Gravenberch has been outstanding for Liverpool this season but still hasn't scored a goal
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Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch of Liverpool
Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch of Liverpool
(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Ryan Gravenberch will finally get his hands on the main reward for his season's endeavours at Anfield on Sunday week. But that the Liverpool midfielder is also in contention for a glut of individual awards highlights his outstanding campaign for the Premier League champions.
Gravenberch's performances have been recognised with nominations for both the Premier League Player of the Season award - where he will be up against, among others, team-mates Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah - and the Young Player of the Season gong.
Few would argue the Holland international has been nothing short of a revelation since being switched into a defensive midfield role by Arne Slot, an early masterstroke in the reign of the Reds boss that has provided the foundation for their outstanding domestic campaign.
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But there has been just one thing missing from Gravenberch's season - a goal.
The 22-year-old has contributed four assists in the Premier League, the most recent of which saw him rob Archie Gray of the ball to tee up Alexis Mac Allister to thump home the goal that put Liverpool ahead against Tottenham Hotspur last month and spark their title-winning party.
Gravenberch scored four goals last season, albeit from more attacking positions but having not featured anywhere near as regularly as this campaign. There has, though, been only one Premier League strike, which came in the 3-1 win at Fulham last April.
Of course, the Dutchman's switch to a deeper midfield role, with extra responsibilities in protecting the back four, have negated much of his attacking threat. However, there has been opportunity for the occasional Gravenberch burst into the penalty area, only without any tangible reward so far.
Nevertheless, when it comes to goal threat from midfield, Liverpool have continued the trend that started with the rebuild of the engine room in the summer of 2023 during which Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo were all signed for a combined total of more than £150million.
The previous incumbents had certainly lost their way to goal. Fabinho failed to score in his final 52 Liverpool appearances, Jordan Henderson his last 81 while, most remarkably, James Milner didn't net in his final 130 outings, although admittedly many were as substitute.
Naby Keita managed only four goals in his last three seasons, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's five goals over the same period often came from an attacking role rather than in midfield. Thiago Alcantara scored only three goals in 98 appearances.
With two games remaining this season, 16% of Liverpool's 83 Premier League goals have been scored by midfielders. Szoboszlai and Mac Allister both have five each, while Curtis Jones has three.
It's almost identical to last season when, not counting penalties - Mac Allister scored one against Manchester City - 15% of league strikes were netted by those operating in the engine room, 13 of 86.
The overhaul of two years ago came after the nadir in terms of goals from midfield, when they provided just 7% of the overall Liverpool total. It was 13% in 2021/22 and 9% in 2020/21.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the highest total of recent times came when Liverpool romped to the title in 2019/20. In total, 22% of the Reds' 85 goals that campaign were by midfielders.
Liverpool's engine room won't quite match that this season. But they'll be Premier League champions regardless. Gravenberch scoring the final goal of the season would be a fitting finale.