We have to keep going” – Szoboszlai sends message to Liverpool teammates after Arsenal draw | OneFootball

Szoboszlai Sees Progress in Gritty Arsenal Draw

Liverpool left the Emirates Stadium with a point rather than a victory, but for Dominik Szoboszlai the significance of the night went beyond the scoreboard. The 0–0 draw with Arsenal was framed not as a missed opportunity, but as evidence of development, resilience and renewed competitive edge from a side still defining itself under new leadership.

Speaking after the match, Szoboszlai described the performance as “a step forward”, a phrase that captured both the reality of the evening and the broader direction of Liverpool’s season. Against a side widely regarded as one of the Premier League’s most complete teams, Liverpool resisted, adapted and, at times, imposed themselves.

The original source of Szoboszlai’s comments was his post-match interview with Sky Sports, later reported by Liverpool FC’s official website. His words reflected a player acutely aware of context: not only the quality of the opponent, but the demands of the league itself.

Photo: IMAGO

Szoboszlai reaction reflects Premier League reality

Arsenal’s home record and tactical maturity meant this was never likely to be a free-flowing contest. Instead, it unfolded as a study in discipline and endurance. Szoboszlai acknowledged that reality directly, stressing that survival in the Premier League begins with effort before elegance.

“I think it’s always about fight, to be honest, because in the Premier League you have to fight to get results,” he said. “Today each of us showed we are able to do it.”

There was a pointed edge to that assessment. Recent weeks had raised questions externally about Liverpool’s intensity and consistency. This performance, Szoboszlai suggested, served as a rebuttal. Against a team sitting at the top end of the table, Liverpool did not retreat into damage limitation. They competed.

That competition was visible in moments such as Conor Bradley’s audacious first-half lob, which struck the crossbar, and in Liverpool’s ability to manage Arsenal’s attacking threats without conceding territory wholesale.

Arsenal test highlights control and composure

While the draw produced few clear chances, Szoboszlai was keen to highlight Liverpool’s growing comfort on the ball, particularly after the interval. Control, rather than chaos, was the marker of progress.

“In the first half we tried to keep the ball as much as we could and in the second half the same,” he explained. “I think in the second half it was a little bit more than the first.”

That subtle distinction mattered. Liverpool did not dominate possession, but they were no longer merely reacting. The midfield battle, often decisive in fixtures of this magnitude, became more balanced as the match wore on.

Szoboszlai himself found pockets of space from which to threaten, though he admitted his own execution fell short on the night. “If I had a better day then I have a couple of better shots,” he said, before adding with a smile that he would need to practise his free-kicks even more.

Reaction points to momentum beyond the result

The most telling aspect of Szoboszlai’s reaction was his insistence that the draw should be viewed as part of a wider trajectory. Liverpool extended their unbeaten run across all competitions, but more importantly, they demonstrated that they could match one of the league’s strongest sides in a hostile environment.

“We showed again that even against a team that is top of the table we can compete,” he said. “We take it with us for the next weeks and we move on.”

That forward-looking mindset is revealing. Rather than lamenting what might have been, Szoboszlai framed the night as preparation for what lies ahead. In a season shaped by transition and expectation, progress is rarely linear. Sometimes it is measured in control, concentration and collective resolve.

Against Arsenal, Liverpool displayed all three. The scoreline may have been blank, but the message from Szoboszlai was clear: this was not stagnation, but movement.