Liverpool: Reds star who won 100% duels was better than Gravenberch

The Reds will be emboldened by this man’s first-class performance in Europe last night.

Under the lights of Europe, Liverpool has put on a number of breathtaking performances; against Union Saint-Gilloise, this was not one of them, but Jurgen Klopp’s team nevertheless managed to win for the second time in a row.

The Reds have already won their first two games in the Europa League group stage, and Klopp will be happy with the shutout and dominance for the majority of the game, even though USG had some chances.

James Pearce of The Athletic claimed that although “they made hard work of this and rode their luck at times,” the Anfield team eventually returned to winning ways in advance of a key Premier League meeting against Brighton & Hove Albion at the weekend.

The performance of Ryan Gravenberch against Union Saint-Gilloise.
Despite the fact that Liverpool didn’t put on the kind of sleek, incisive show of attacking intent and ball-playing fluidity that has been ingrained in the team since Klopp’s management appointment in 2015, he will be satisfied that danger was thwarted and his team is firmly in the group stage driving seat.

One player who clearly stood out at the heart of the game was £34 million summer signing Ryan Gravenberch, who capitalized on a goalkeeping error to knock in for his first Liverpool goal before halftime. They believe that winning when you aren’t playing well is a positive sign.

The Dutchman, aged 21, recorded a match score of 8.0 – as per Sofascore – complementing his goal with 67 touches, an 80% pass success rate, two key passes, three shots on target and two tackles, very much demonstrating his worth as an all-encompassing central star.

While this wasn’t the case on Merseyside, the Reds were sloppy in possession against LASK two weeks ago. While improvements were needed, Gravenberch is becoming more comfortable with each game, giving Klopp confidence in his destructive new midfield weapon.

Although Trent Alexander-Arnold’s return to the starting lineup was motivating for the hosts, the former Bayern Munich midfielder’s performance was excellent. The club vice-captain dazzled and reminded the world of his abilities with a dynamic display.

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s performance versus Union Saint-Gilloise was how?
The England international, who missed most of September due to a hamstring injury, was replaced just after the hour mark of last night’s game as he continues to improve his fitness levels.

Pearce praised the player for his “excellent” performance and called him a “class act” in addition to hailing him for his “excellent” performance.

Despite being well-known for his inventiveness and lethal attacking tools, the 24-year-old showed signs of his developing maturity and self-discipline with a controlled defensive display.

With an impressive 7.7 match rating, Alexander-Arnold completed 88% of his passes, had 90 touches, and took two shots, one of which was a fierce drive that caused Anthony Moris to fumble and gave Gravenberch the opportunity to score. However, Alexander-Arnold really stood out for his work in the defensive third.

Even though there will be tougher games ahead, it is encouraging to see the £180k per week machine flourish with his skills at the back.

He made two interceptions, three tackles, including one as the last man, and most impressively, he won all five of his contested duels on the night.

Now set to star once again down the right channel, this first-class phenom will play a major role as the season stretches on, and against USG he gave a glimpse of what is to come.