Arne Slot has said he expects Ryan Gravberch’s return to the team on Monday night will help address Liverpool’s lack of defensive solidity in recent weeks.

The Reds were routinely cut open in the first two matches of the campaign against Crystal Palace and Bournemouth, losing on penalties against the former at Wembley and beating the Cherries 4-2 in the Premier League opener.

The open, back-and-forth feeling from both games resulted in both Slot and Liverpool receiving criticism, despite one of the Dutchman’s key components from the title-winning campaign being absent from both matches.



Gravenberch missed the Palace clash after his wife gave birth the night before, while he was suspended for the Bournemouth encounter due to the red card he was shown at the end of last season.

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But with Gravenberch back in time for Monday night’s clash against Newcastle United, Slot hopes his presence will help solve that particular issue.

“I think a lot,” replied the Liverpool head coach on Thursday, when asked if Gravenberch would help make the team more solid.

“That could help us a lot.

“If you just simply look at the second goal we conceded, they could just go from one side, from the 18-yard box, to the other side without being attacking, which was smart because Virgil [van Dijk] and Ibou [Konate] needed to go back because it was a four-versus-two situation.

“But if you look back at last season, and every single time Ryan would have been in that position.

“For him not being there, and us playing with very good players, but very attacking-minded players, that hurt us in that goal and that wasn’t the first time where we lacked a player in that position in the counter-attack for the other team.

“If he [Gravenberch] brings his normal levels, it would definitely help to have him back in.”

Gravenberch played a particularly vital role in the Reds' title-winning exploits last term, starting 37 of the 38 league matches.

Deploying the ex-Ajax and Bayern Munich star as a deep-lying midfielder was among Slot greatest achievements in his first campaign on Merseyside, and so influential was Liverpool's no.38, he was voted in the PFA Team of the Season.

His ability to stymie opposition attacks and protect the back four were particularly effective and noticeably lacking in the last two encounters, with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai in midfield.


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