Dominik Szoboszlai the new Gerrard? Many similarities, but leadership remains in question | OneFootball

According to L'Équipe, Dominik Szoboszlai shares plenty with Steven Gerrard, yet Liverpool’s standout this season has not matched his predecessor’s leadership. The comparison frames Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against PSG at 21:00.

The No 8 carries weight at Anfield, and on arriving from Leipzig in summer 2023 aged 22 for nearly €70m, Szoboszlai chose it to honour Gerrard. He has even inked a maxim on talent, will and humility on his arm.

After an uneven first campaign, his second has been pivotal in the title win, built on tireless midfield work. In September 2024, John Barnes judged him the closest to Gerrard in passing, dribbling, effort and tackling.

In recent months, amid a fading collective, he has been Liverpool’s best performer, sharpening his end product to 12 goals, including five free-kicks, and eight assists in all competitions. Following the 4-0 win over Galatasaray on 18 March, the Daily Telegraph labelled him the new Gerrard.

Opta’s Premier League averages point to different profiles: 86 touches per match to Gerrard’s 82, 5.5 ball recoveries to 3.9, but fewer decisive actions, one every 325 minutes to the Englishman’s 194. Jamie Carragher reckons he now resembles Gerrard at 18 and still has four or five levels to climb, with progress possibly tied to the armband once Virgil van Dijk departs.

This is Anfield argued on Sunday he is not ready to captain Liverpool, citing his stance towards supporters after the 0-4 Cup loss at Manchester City and his admission that none of the players was at their maximum. “I found it worrying that the players after the game admitted they had not fought,” said Steven Gerrard on Talksport. “At Liverpool, there are things you do not do and things you do not say.”

Source: L'Équipe