Arne Slot's explanation on midfield three sums up Liverpool's poor run of form

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Liverpool lined up with Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai in midfield against Aston Villa and Real Madrid, and the team won both games, keeping a clean sheet in each. Gravenberch, Mac Allister and Szoboszlai was Liverpool's first-choice midfield as the team won the Premier League last season, but Slot played down the importance of reverting to that trio.

We created more from open play.” Szoboszlai and Gravenberch were already having good individual seasons, but Liverpool needed Mac Allister to return to form, and he has done exactly that, scoring the winning goal against Real Madrid after assisting Gravenberch against Villa, and generally playing well. Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch have been among Liverpool's better players this season (Image: 2025 Getty Images) Selecting Gravenberch, Mac Allister and Szoboszlai together meant Florian Wirtz had to be wedged in on the left side of Liverpool's attack, as Cody Gakpo dropped to the bench.

Slot didn't want to get bogged down in a debate over Florian Wirtz's best position, as he said it is more important for the German to arrive in the right areas of the field at the right times for him to influence games. "It's about getting him in positions he is good at.