Dominik Szoboszlai has performed excellently in pre-season in a deeper midfield role and could be a starting option for Arne Slot, Reds expert David Lynch has claimed.
The Meseysiders were beaten on penalties by Crystal Palace in the Community Shield on Sunday, though they did not have starting number 6 Ryan Gravenberch available due to the fact he had just become a father.
Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones operated together in a double pivot, and while the former had a mixed showing against the Eagles, he had previously impressed from such a role in pre-season.
Lynch argued that his performances have been so strong from central midfield that he will have to be considered as an option there by Slot, telling Sports Mole: "He's a better profile fit for a number 8 role. He doesn't have the cuteness of Wirtz, or anyone you'd traditionally see as a 10.
"As a number eight, he's arriving late into more space. he can time that run and he then becomes a better shooter from those positions because of the timing of his arrival.
"From Szoboszlai's perspective, he's not going to do himself any harm by playing the way he has in pre-season, because he's been a revelation in that role. He's really put the cat amongst the pigeons in terms of who starts where coming into the new season."
Szoboszlai was used as Liverpool's number 10 last season, but with the signing of Florian Wirtz means he is unlikely to see many minutes as an attacking midfielder.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot gives instructions to Dominik Szoboszlai on July 30, 2025
Alexis Mac Allister or Szoboszlai: Who will Arne Slot choose in his XI?
Alexis Mac Allister was used alongside Gravenberch for the majority of 2024-25, but he has only started once in pre-season after returning to training late due to an injury.
The Argentine has a well-rounded skillset, but he is not as athletically gifted as Szoboszlai, who would arguably help the team defend better against transitions.
Lynch insisted that Mac Allister would have a place in the XI, but added that there could be more rotation, when he told Sports Mole: "The flip side of Szoboszlai's good form is how does that all work out? Liverpool's options there are absolutely insane, but the manager would say that's a good selection headache to have.
"There has to be more rotation this season. That's something I spoke about with people behind the scenes at Liverpool. There is an expectation that will happen, that the manager's happier with his squad and that the flexibility of the players is going to lend itself more to rotation.
"You might see Wirtz off the left on occasion, so that gives you a bit more of a solid central midfield. I wonder if that's going to be something we'll see in the tougher games going forward."
Mac Allister was arguably the best midfielder at the club in 2024-25, and it would be surprising if he was regularly benched for Szoboszlai.
Alexis Mac Allister in action for Liverpool on August 4, 2025
Could Ryan Gravenberch be dropped in the Premier League?
Liverpool will play Bournemouth in the opening game of the Premier League season on Friday, but they will be without defensive midfielder Gravenberch.
The Dutchman was sent off in the Reds' final match of the 2024-25 campaign against Crystal Palace, and he will serve a suspension.
Lynch told Sports Mole that he would not be surprised if the midfielder was also rotated more next season, saying: "We're not going to get a clear picture of the XI because of the there's going to be that suspension for Ryan Gravenberch, and that Alexis McAllister fitness-wise isn't quite there.
"There were three starting midfielders who you felt were nailed on for so much of the season last year, but they've now got Wirtz in that mix, and he's going to have to start an awful lot of games because he cost over £100 million.
"How exactly that works out and who's in that deeper role and whether we see Mac Allister and Szoboszlai sometimes with Gravenberch dropping out and various mixes of that is going to be really interesting.
"It's a really tough one because when the first big game comes around that everybody's fit for, what does the manager do? Very difficult to predict."
Mac Allister has previously operated as a number six, but the athletic capacities of Gravenberch and Szoboszlai could put them ahead in the pecking order.
> Click here to listen to the full discussion on Dominik Szoboszlai's place in the Liverpool XI
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