Dominik Szoboszlai lit up Anfield with a moment of brilliance as Liverpool edged past Arsenal in a tense Premier League showdown. His late wonder strike from over 30 yards secured a narrow 1-0 victory over the gunners and extended the Reds’ perfect start under Arne Slot to three games.
Once again deployed in an unconventional right-back role, the Hungarian showed just how influential he can be in decisive moments.
According to Liverpool’s official website, Szoboszlai spoke to Sky Sports after the game to share his thoughts on the goal and the contest. Softfootball understands that the midfielder has been one of the standout performers of Liverpool’s early season and is quickly becoming a fan favourite for his fearless approach. he was asked if he knew the free-kick was going to go in as soon as he struck it he said;
“Well, luckily since we started the season we could practise some free-kicks. I felt this was a little bit further. I was like, ‘I’ll take a risk.’ I was confident in myself so I tried it. Finally! Long time ago.
It was a long time ago [I last scored one], when you practise all the time. To be honest, I should mention Trent [Alexander-Arnold] because, as you know, he was taking the free-kicks because obviously he has an unbelievable shot. But finally I could have my chance and did it.”
It was a strike that summed up Szoboszlai’s growing confidence in this Liverpool side. Softfootball understands that the Hungarian had spent weeks fine-tuning his technique in training, even though he admitted he hadn’t been working on this specific type of free-kick lately.
Still, his ability to step up under pressure when it mattered most highlights why Slot sees him as one of the leaders in this squad. He was asked if he pratises the freekick technique over and over again, he said;
“To be honest, this shot I didn’t practise in the last few weeks because we were shooting from closer and if you are closer, I shoot a different way. But I had to take a risk and shoot it a little bit harder, because I knew of course [David] Raya likes to jump behind the wall and of course is an unbelievable goalkeeper. So, I think if it goes a little bit more inside, he saves it. I was looking at a lot of videos [of the goalkeeper].”
That attention to detail proved decisive. By looking Raya’s position and trusting his instinct, Szoboszlai found the perfect mix of power and placement. It wasn’t just a match winning goal against a top side, it was a match-winning contribution that could define Liverpool’s season. when asked if it takes ‘risk’ to win matches like these he said;
“Of course. They had an unbelievable season last season, and of course the two before that as well. Three times in a row coming second – to be honest, it’s a compliment because always to keep on going behind or with [Manchester] City, with us, with Chelsea, with these kinds of teams, it’s really hard and they always do it. They have an unbelievable team, an unbelievable coach. We have to keep on fighting.”
In the end, his words carried the same weight as his performance , a mix of humility, respect for Arsenal, and a reminder of Liverpool’s determination to fight on every front this season. With a perfect record so far, the Reds know they’ll need many more moments of brilliance like Szoboszlai’s to maintain their momentum in a fiercely competitive title race.
