Dominik Szoboszlai revealed how a frank exchange in the dressing room at half-time helped Liverpool continue their impressive start to the season. Goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah were sufficient to earn a 2-0 Champions League win over Bologna at Anfield on Wednesday evening.
It moved the Reds on to eight wins from their opening nine games of the campaign to give Arne Slot the best-ever start of any Liverpool boss.
However, Bologna hit the woodwork twice shortly before half-time with Alisson Becker also required to make good saves either side of the interval before Slot’s side were able to ease away during the final quarter.
And Szoboszlai said: “We are very happy with the three points, that’s the most important thing. After the first half, we had a little discussion in the changing room and I think we came out very well (in the second half). That’s the thing – how we step up after maybe not the best first half.
“They were man-to-man all over the pitch but we were prepared for this and were ready. But it’s not normal so we had to get into the game and think about some different things that we could do.
“At 1-0 they (Bologna) are still going on and you need another one. But we’re happy with the 2-0.”
Szoboszlai was much improved on a below-par showing last Saturday at Wolves, with man-of-the-match Ryan Gravenberch and Mac Allister also impressing in the Liverpool engine room.
But while extolling the virtues of his midfield team-mates, the Hungary international also pointed to how the depth of the squad is now becoming important as the schedule ramps up.
“I love to play with them, I’ve said it before,” said Szoboszlai to LFC TV. “The two have a lot of qualities but the whole team has. The midfield isn’t enough (by itself).
“Of course, it is an important role but we need everybody, we need the bench, we need the whole squad because there are going to be times when it’s going to be hard and I think we still have something like 60 games to come!
“You saw it on Wednesday – the players who came on also gave their best, Kostas, Curtis, Jots. everybody is ready and that’s the most important thing. If you take the Nottingham Forest game away, we’ve had a perfect start. We’re top of the Premier League and we have to continue like this.”
