There were a number of poor performances from Liverpool players on Sunday as they were beaten in the Community Shield.

It was a narrow defeat for the Reds, who lost on penalties against Crystal Palace, but it was a defeat all the same.

Positives could be taken from the impressive performance of Hugo Ekitike, and another bright display from Florian Wirtz, but by and large, Liverpool were not good enough.

Plenty of the problems seemed to stem from the defence, with Jamie Carragher highlighting some of Liverpool’s issues during the first-half especially.

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But while the attack also drew scrutiny at times, the Reds’ midfield was as ineffective as it has been for a long time.

With Ryan Gravenberch having become a father on Saturday and Alexis Mac Allister not yet ready to start, Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai were handed a golden audition which they promptly failed.

Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images

After Wirtz’s summer arrival, Liverpool’s midfield three is expected to look a lot different this season.

One of the trio from last term is destined to drop out, and, despite his so far impressive performances in pre-season, Szoboszlai is the most likely candidate.

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Gravenberch and Mac Allister are arguably Liverpool’s two most important midfielders, and it feels like Wirtz operating in front of that pair is the most likely option to be used most regularly by Arne Slot.

That would be bad news for Szoboszlai and also for Jones, who has moved down in the pecking order once again.

READ MORE: Arne Slot explains why he took Hugo Ekitike off for Liverpool against Crystal Palace

Nevertheless, by hook or by crook, Gravenberch and Mac Allister were missing on Sunday, giving both the chance to really step up and show Slot that they are a viable option as well.

Unfortunately, they did not take that chance at all.

Jones may have ended his time on the pitch with a 100% pass completion rate, but Liverpool were too easy to bypass with him as the deepest lying midfielder.

Meanwhile, Szoboszlai was guilty of some loose passing, and was completely ineffectual in linking up with those in front of him.

Jones and Szoboszlai have dovetailed previously for Liverpool, most famously in the win over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium last season.

However, on that occasion Slot deployed the duo as a pair of false nines.

Without many defensive responsibilities for either, it worked.

But Jones’ passiveness in breaking up attacks coupled with Szoboszlai’s looseness in possession is a recipe for disaster when employed further back.

It should be said that Mac Allister was potentially worse than both when he eventually appeared off the bench, but his poor performance can at least be put down to rustiness.

Jones and Szoboszlai do not have that same excuse.

Unfortunately, Liverpool will have to make do without Gravenberch again for Friday’s opener against Bournemouth.

But however he played at Wembley, Mac Allister has to come back in.
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