Liverpool hero Dominik Szoboszlai directly emulates Steven Gerrard with his astounding free kick in Sunday’s 1-0 Premier League win over Arsenal at Anfield.
Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai directly emulated Reds legend Steven Gerrard with his stunning free kick in Sunday’s 1-0 Premier League victory over Arsenal at Anfield.
This weekend’s main event between last season’s top two was seemingly destined to end as a bore draw, as Mikel Arteta’s men failed to find the answers to Liverpool’s defensive might, and vice versa.
The champions did have the ball in the back of the net on the hour mark, as Hugo Ekitike followed up after David Raya spilled Florian Wirtz’s strike into his path, but the Frenchman was correctly flagged offside.
While Raya would have been culpable for that goal had it stood, there was nothing that the Spaniard could have done about the game-defining goal, which came via the boot of Szoboszlai in the dying embers.
The Hungarian – operating as a makeshift right-back again – lined up a central free kick a good 30 yards from goal and unleashed a sensational strike, which cannoned off the inside of the post and found its way in.
Szoboszlai repeats Gerrard feat with stunning free kick
In doing so, Szoboszlai scored Liverpool’s latest Premier League winner from a direct free kick in 18 years, clinching all three points for the Reds with 83 minutes on the clock.
The last man to score a later game-winning direct free kick for the Reds was Gerrard himself, who produced his own critical set-piece against Aston Villa in the 87th minute in August 2007.
As well as following in Gerrard’s footsteps, Szoboszlai unsurprisingly drew comparisons to former teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold with his free kick and exceptional passing range from right-back, completing five long balls from nine attempts.
The versatile Hungary international gave a mention to the Real Madrid man when speaking to Sky Sports at full time, saying: “Luckily we could practice some free-kicks. I felt this was a bit further. I was like ‘I’ll take the risk’. I was confident in myself, I tried it… finally [I’ve scored from a free-kick].
“When you practice all the time, now I should mention Trent because he was taking the free-kicks in the past. Finally I could have my chance and did it.
“This shot I didn’t practice in the past few weeks because we were shooting closer. I had to take a risk and shoot a little bit harder because I knew Raya likes to jump behind the ball. It’s an unbelievable goalkeeper. If it goes a bit more inside he saves it.”
Arne Slot: ‘Szoboszlai is what Liverpool is all about’
Liverpool now have the only remaining perfect record in the Premier League thanks to Sunday’s success, and manager Arne Slot unsurprisingly waxed lyrical about Szoboszlai at full time too.
“I’m only working with him now for a little more over a season but he shows what Liverpool is all about,” Slot told Sky Sports. “If he has to play right wing, right full-back, as a 10, he gives his best. Again he was outstanding today.
“In the second half we pressed really well so for me after 45 minutes we got the upper hand. In the end we needed a moment of magic.”
Liverpool’s first game back after the international break comes away to Burnley on September 14, before they begin their Champions League campaign at home to Atletico Madrid on September 17.
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