Liverpool boss Arne Slot made the surprise decision to start Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back for his side’s Champions League clash with Galatasaray on Wednesday night
Arne Slot has been warned that he may have blundered by deploying Dominik Szoboszlai as a right-back in Liverpool’s Champions League trip to Galatasaray. The Hungarian found himself in the defensive line for the fourth time this season as the Reds lost 1-0 in Istanbul.
However, unlike previous defensive stints which were necessitated by injuries to Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley, Slot had all three players at his disposal for the latest Champions League encounter.
With Bradley being one of four players relegated to the bench following Liverpool‘s weekend loss to Crystal Palace, it was Szoboszlai who was given the responsibility of filling in at right-back.
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Intriguingly, Frimpong also made the starting line-up, taking up position on the right-wing after Slot made the unexpected decision to bench Mohamed Salah.
Szoboszlai ended up conceding an early penalty when he accidentally hit Baris Alper Yilmaz in the face with his trailing arm while attempting to challenge the Turkey international in the box, providing Victor Osimhen with the opportunity to score the opening goal from the spot.
Earlier, Yilmaz had outpaced Szoboszlai after making a run behind the Hungarian, only to be denied the first goal by Alisson Becker in a one-on-one situation.
Former Everton ace Pat Nevin was on co-commentary duties for BBC Radio 5 Live for the match.
He quickly suggested that Slot’s choice to field Szoboszlai at right-back had backfired.
“That decision to play Szoboszlai at right back and not Frimpong,” he said. “He has been attacked twice, done for pace and has given away a penalty.”
Meanwhile, after witnessing Liverpool’s £29m summer signing of Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen, Alan Shearer suggested that Slot lacked confidence in his natural right-back options, having chosen to start Szoboszlai in the position during their match in Turkey.
“They paid a lot of money for a right-back in Frimpong,” he commented while on co-commentary duties for Amazon Prime. “You’ve got a really good prospect in Bradley.
“Yet you’re playing a midfielder at right-back, so that tells you he’s not comfortable.”
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