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Ryan Gravenberch is back and hoping to solidify Liverpool’s shaky core.

Excluding Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Alisson, Gravenberch is perhaps Slot’s most trusted on-field voices, and his ability to stymie opposition attacks was sorely missing in the opening two matches of the campaign.

“That could help us a lot,” Slot admitted on Thursday.

Last season, Slot helped transform Gravenberch into one of the division’s outstanding performers, as he swapped a box-to-box role for that of a No.

Alongside Alexis Mac Allister, the Dutch international propelled the Reds to the title.

Judging by Slot’s comments, that midfield partnership could be set to return on the banks of the Tyne

Now it’s staring Slot in the face for the first time.

Few think the established 2024-25 midfield triumvirate of Gravenberch, Mac Allister and Szoboszlai can now remain intact, and it’s the latter whose position looks increasingly under threat

During the summer and early weeks of the season, he has already seen his role changed to a deeper midfield berth and on the right flank, while Slot even suggested him as an option at right-back for Monday - although that feels a little far-fetched.

In the final 20 league matches of last term, Szoboszlai started 18

A similar scenario that this season seems increasingly unlikely, just a few months on from him being a mainstay of the team.

Rotation will inevitably be more common this campaign, but it may be Szoboszlai, more than anyone, who suffers most from the lavish summer transfer spree.

When the teams are announced at St James’ Park on Monday, there may finally be some evidence to support that theory.