Steven Gerrard believes Dominik Szoboszlai could be a future Liverpool captain and has urged Arne Slot to keep him in his “proper position”. Szoboszlai again impressed as the Reds set up a Champions League quarter-final tie against Paris Saint-Germain with a 4-0 victory over Galatasaray.
The Hungary international opened the scoring from a neatly-worked corner routine before second-half goals from Hugo Ekitike, Ryan Gravenberch and Mohamed Salah completed the rout. Szoboszlai has been Liverpool’s most consistent performer so far this season, and his form prompted Salah to say his team-mate was one of the best players in the world right now last month.
But having spent time at right-back this season, Gerrard has called on Slot to leave the 25-year-old in midfield for the rest of the season.
“I like his mentality. He's evolved and he's grown a lot since he's become a Liverpool player," Gerrard told TNT Sports. "We [Liverpool] obviously signed a big talent.
“He's in the prime years of his career. I think Liverpool are going to see the best of him. I hope he stays around for a long time because I think there's a potential captain in there.
“The way he's playing and his consistency and his mentality, you can hear it in his voice. He's straight on to the next game, talking about Brighton. I love that about him.
"He's flying at the moment. He's full of confidence. He's got everything going for him. He's just got to maintain it and stay healthy.
"He's definitely a team player. I still think there's another level to him as well. I can see him potentially getting more goals, if he can have a consistent run in that 8/10 position. You can see it tonight; he could have had a hat-trick.
"He's always in and around the box. His ball striking is phenomenal. His timing and his technique and he hits it with so much venom. The balls are getting lighter and lighter. He must be an absolute nightmare for the goalkeeper.
“People are going away now talking about his performance because he's exciting and he's entertaining, but he's in his proper position. Keep him in his proper position. Let him flourish."
On his side's win, Szoboszlai said: I think today we showed the right direction where we want to go and what we want to show everybody – especially each other because it starts with us.
"I know the fans can be unhappy with us but if we are unhappy with ourselves, that’s a problem [and] if we are happy with ourselves probably everybody is going to be happy with us.
"And I think it’s a good step forward, a very good step, quarter-finals [for the] first time in my life and for a lot of us. So yeah, we move on."
