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Beth Lindop
It was destined to be Dominik Szoboszlai. Throughout this unpredictable season, the midfielder has transformed from a vital part of Liverpool’s ensemble to their premier player, and this was once again evident on Wednesday night as his creative free kick guided his team to a significant 3-0 triumph over Marseille in the UEFA Champions League.
After a season where he has rightfully garnered acclaim for his dynamic performances in the heart of Liverpool’s midfield, Szoboszlai has recently found himself facing criticism for less favorable reasons.
The Hungarian international was labeled “disrespectful” by Barnsley manager Conor Hourihane following a careless backheel that led to a goal against the Reds in the FA Cup, and his missed penalty against Burnley last weekend contributed to more lost points in the Premier League.
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Yet, amidst the growing pressure, Szoboszlai maintained his composure at Stade Vélodrome, with his goal right before halftime perfectly showcasing his character. Cheeky, audacious, and full of finesse, the midfielder’s free kick slipped under the Marseille wall and past goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli, calming the nerves of the red-clad supporters.
As he celebrated, Szoboszlai grinned and tapped his head — a reminder that he hasn’t allowed the external noise to disrupt his focus at a pivotal moment in Liverpool’s season. Prior to scoring in southern France, the 25-year-old had already shown glimpses of brilliance, assisting Hugo Ekitike, whose goal was unfortunately disallowed for offside.
By netting Liverpool’s first goal, Szoboszlai became the first Reds player since Trent Alexander-Arnold to score a direct free kick in the Champions League, dating back to October 2022 against Rangers. He also became just the third Liverpool player to score or assist in five consecutive Champions League matches, following in the footsteps of Steven Gerrard and Mohamed Salah.
The latter was observing the game from a London studio and had high praise for Szoboszlai, who wears his iconic No. 8 shirt.
“You can see he’s brimming with confidence,” Gerrard expressed to TNT Sports after the match.
“I admire his confidence. I love that he believes in himself. Most players would defer to Mo Salah if he wanted to take the free kick, but Szoboszlai emphatically said: ‘No way’.”
This endorsement was a high compliment for a player who appears increasingly likely to someday mirror Gerrard by captaining at Anfield. Szoboszlai’s goal marked his seventh across all competitions this season — just one shy of his total from last year — and even though he couldn’t add to his tally in the second half, he remained central to Liverpool’s attacking play.
The midfielder was unfortunate not to register an assist when he expertly set Ekitike up for a chance on goal in the 60th minute, only for the striker’s powerful strike to crash against the post. Soon after, Jeremie Frimpong created the visitors’ second goal, skillfully navigating to the byline before his cutback was deflected into the net by the helpless Rulli.
The Reds’ third goal of the evening was superbly finished by substitute Cody Gakpo in stoppage time, but the goal was heavily influenced by Szoboszlai’s clever lay-off for Ryan Gravenberch in the build-up.
It’s no wonder that Liverpool is eager to secure the midfielder on a new long-term deal. This marks the second consecutive European match where he has made headlines, following his decisive penalty conversion against Internazionale earlier in December.
At that point, Liverpool had been in dire need of a win to uplift spirits after a tumultuous week in which Salah had publicly criticized head coach Arne Slot, claiming the club had thrown him “under the bus.”
Salah was subsequently omitted from the matchday squad at the San Siro but featured against Marseille following his return from the Africa Cup of Nations, where he played a pivotal role in Egypt’s fourth-place finish in Morocco.
The Egypt international played the full match against Roberto De Zerbi’s side. While a glaring late miss highlighted his inconsistent recent form, his participation should hopefully put December’s discord to rest and mark a new beginning for both him and the team.
Liverpool is currently unbeaten in 13 matches across all competitions, the longest streak without defeat among England’s top five leagues.
This statistic, however, does not quite capture the entire picture, as several performances have put Slot under justified scrutiny in recent weeks. Nevertheless, it’s a streak that would have seemed implausible when Liverpool was conceding goals frequently earlier in the season.
“It could have been a challenging place to visit, due to their fans, but also because of their players and manager,” Slot commented after the match.
“We needed to perform well today, and we did. We should have capitalized better on the counterattack. We were very positive with the ball. We netted three goals, and everyone will be happier than if we had created five chances but only scored one.”
“In the last 13 games unbeaten, we’ve only trailed for 54 minutes. We had numerous chances to win today. We definitely earned this result; we weren’t unlucky as we’ve often been this season.”
While Slot is correct in pointing out that luck hasn’t been on his side lately, he understands that standards must rise if he wishes to convince his doubters that he is the suitable leader for the club’s future.
but, judging by Wednesday’s performance, there’s still much for Liverpool to salvage from this challenging season, particularly if their standout player Szoboszlai continues to deliver.
