Dominik Szoboszlai has learnt from big Liverpool mistake but hasn't won over most famous critic

Dominik Szoboszlai has learnt from his previous mistakes at Liverpool as his eye-catching second campaign at Anfield continues. The Hungarian started well for the Reds following his £60m move from RB Leipzig, only to see injury undermine the second half of his campaign.

He missed the League Cup final as a result, and was left to watch from the stands as Liverpool won the first trophy of his Anfield career. That is something he will look to put right when the Reds take on Newcastle United at Wembley in two weeks’ time.

But there was a frustration in the Liverpool dressing room that Jurgen Klopp’s final season in charge ended with only a League Cup to show for it.

Having admitted his desire to win multiple honours on more than one occasion last season, Szoboszlai made it clear back in September that he would not repeat such antics this year.

“Last year I spoke too much about titles and everything and of course we won one [trophy] and we had the chance to be up there until almost the very end,” he previously conceded to the club website. “But we go game by game.

“There could be 65 more games in this season, so it’s going to be a really intense season for everybody, each of us, and we want to be there in all competitions – Champions League, Carabao Cup, Premier League [and FA Cup]. But that’s going to take time.”

He repeated such sentiments in November after scoring against Southampton too, admitting: “Last year when I came, I started to speak too much about what’s going to be if, what’s going to be if.

“Now I just look game by game. We are eight points [ahead at the] top of the table, but I said it before – the season is still long and we have to just continue to look at ourselves and not what the other ones are doing.”

Over three months on and Liverpool are now 13 points clear at the top of the table as they look increasingly-likely to lift a second Premier League title. As well as this month’s League Cup final to look forward to, they also face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round-of-16.

And having been stung by ‘speaking too much’ last season, Szoboszlai is now leaving his talking to out on the pitch.

The 24-year-old is one of a number of players who have improved significantly under Arne Slot’s watch. Unleashed in his favoured number 10 position, he has arguably become one of the Dutchman’s most important stars.

His absence through illness was felt most sternly in January’s disappointing 2-2 draw at home to Manchester United and League Cup semi-final first leg 1-0 defeat away at Tottenham Hotspur, with his value being appreciated more than ever since his return to the side.

But while his work-rate and running has never been questioned, Szoboszlai is now delivering more in the final third too. He has four goals from his last eight games and seven for the season, along with five assists.

With Liverpool’s campaign having at least 13 games left to run - though the Reds’ squad will quietly hope such a total extends to 18 - the Hungarian is well-placed to reach double-figures on the scoring front this season after already equalling his return of last year.

Meanwhile, he needs five goals to match his career-best total for a season, and just three to equal his best in one of Europe’s big five leagues.

But Szoboszlai’s goals are of vital importance too. He helped wrap up victory away at AC Milan with Liverpool’s third goal in their opening Champions League game and opened the scoring away at Southampton in November.

Yet it was away at Spurs back in December when eyes widened to the Hungarian’s contributions. Arguably his best performance for the club up until that point, he returned a goal and assist in an emphatic 6-3 win and restored a two-goal lead just before the interval only minutes after James Maddison had halved the deficit.