Ryan Gravenberch once again shone for Liverpool in the number six role and Arne Slot has been impressed
Arne Slot believes the deeper midfield role is perfect for an in-form Ryan Gravenberch after Liverpool maintained their Premier League lead with a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace. The Netherlands international has been excellent since Slot’s arrival over the summer and saw his performances rewarded with the club’s in-house player of the month award for September earlier this week.
Gravenberch was once more eye-catching in the centre of Selhurst Park as the Reds secured another hard-fought away win to remain top of the table for October’s international break.
The former Ajax star has calmed the noise around the team’s need for a specialist defensive midfielder after losing out on signing Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad in the summer transfer window and Slot thinks Gravenberch’s qualities are tailor-made for what he is trying to achieve in midfield.
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“Ryan has certain characteristics to play in that position and one is that he is really comfortable with the ball and he knows what to do, so he is really good with his one and two-touch passes,” Slot said. “But he is also comfortable turning away from his man to create overloads.
“And apart from that, I think the main thing for people probably – because you make highlights of him – you are showing mainly his offensive work. He can run, he is strong in duels and the positive for him in this position, if plays higher people talk about goals and assists and that he needs to do more but in this [deeper] positions that is not why we play him.
“But it is also very helpful for him to play in front of Virgil (van Dijk) and Ibou (Ibrahima Konate) and next to Macca (Alexis Mac Allister) because they are a big help for him in those positions.”
Saturday’s lunchtime result saw Slot record a ninth win of 10 since succeeding Jurgen Klopp, which is a run he admits is a proud one. The head coach, though, is targeting loftier accolades in the years to come at Anfield.
Slot added: “It definitely is quite satisfying if you know how many great managers Liverpool have had. But I also said recently I don’t only remember me in two, three, four or five years. We are hoping to do more special things than this and it also says I have had luck in inheriting a very good squad and a good staff to continue getting the results that Jurgen had here as well.”
