Dominik Szoboszlai was named Liverpool’s best player following the Reds’ dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Newcastle United on Monday night.
The Hungarian national team midfielder played in an unusual role as a right-back at St. James’ Park because his teammates Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong were unable to play due to injury. Szoboszlai performed so well that the club’s fans voted the 24-year-old player as Player of the Match in a poll on the club’s website, mainly because of plays such as the one that led to the Reds winning the championship in the tenth minute of extra time.
In one of the final minutes, Szoboszlai received a pass from the right wing in the middle, but he overran the ball, which fell to Rio Ngumoha, and the 16-year-old English striker scored the winning goal in his first Premier League match.
“It is not easy to play as a full-back if you have only been a midfielder in your career,” Liverpool head coach Arne Slot praised Szoboszlai. “He played there once in pre-season – I think it was against Stoke when we played behind closed doors – but in that game we only had the ball and now he had to defend a lot.
For him to put in a performance like that, you can say a lot about his mentality – as you can about all the players because this was mentally such a difficult evening, such a difficult place to go to, such a difficult opponent to play against.
For us to be able to get a result, let alone getting a win, is a big compliment for the boys.”
Liverpool led 2-0 and had a man advantage, but Newcastle equalized in the 82nd minute before the defending champions won the derby with a winning goal at the end of extra time. Liverpool therefore remains in third place with a perfect record after two rounds.
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Via MTI, liverpoolfc.com; Featured image: MTI/Bodnár Boglárka