Paul Merson says Liverpool already had 'one of the signings of the season' - now he's even better

Paul Merson

Paul Merson has hailed the impact of Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai under Arne Slot.

The Hungarian has been in excellent form, especially in the last few weeks, and has scored seven times this season.

Merson

“Yeah, I thought he was outstanding last season, probably one of the best signings of the season,"

Merson adds

"I thought he started well, probably caught up with him towards the end of the season.

"This season, this lad, he works hard. He runs off the ball. It’s an art, running off the ball.

“People want to work when they’ve got the ball at their feet; people really don’t want to work when they haven’t got the ball at their feet.”

"He will make runs for the team and look at the distances he covers but he’s not one of them who just runs anywhere.

“He’s very precise in when he makes his runs and he gets himself into good positions. I think he’s a top player, I really do.”

"But some people run and around and they don’t really affect the game. He affects the game, whether it be a run taking players away for [Mohamed] Salah to get the ball... he’s a top, top player, top-draw player."

Szoboszlai was challenged to score more goals by Slot earlier in the campaign but his off-the-ball work has never been in question.

A product of the Red Bull system, the 24-year-old has an incredible engine.

Playing as the most advanced Liverpool midfielder, usually alongside Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch

he has been relentless during a grueling period of the season and collapsed to the turf at the end of the Manchester City game, only to play another 90 minutes three days later