Szoboszlai’s Nightmare Week: Penalty Miss, 'Weird Choice' & Slot Job Safety Update

Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai endured a torrid week, capped by a glaring penalty miss in a frustrating 1-1 draw against relegation-threatened Burnley at Anfield. The Hungarian midfielder, who had already blundered from the spot in the FA Cup against Barnsley just seven days prior, struck his Premier League penalty against the crossbar around the 30-minute mark after Florentino fouled Gak in the box[1].

Despite dominating possession early on, Liverpool wasted multiple chances to bury the Clarets. They eventually took the lead 12 minutes after the miss, with Florian Wirtz's excellent finish from Curtis Jones' clever assist following Ekitike's run down the left[1]. However, Burnley's Marcus Edwards leveled just after halftime, cutting inside and firing a low shot past Alisson to spark wild celebrations among the traveling fans[1].

The result left home supporters booing, as all three newly-promoted teams have now claimed points at Anfield this season. Szoboszlai earned a 6/10 rating, praised for his overall play but slammed for the miss: "Had a peculiar match; he performed well overall but missed his penalty... He will be relieved when January ends"[1]. Ryan Gravenberch (6/10) was active but careless late on, subbed for Mac Allister[1].

The "weird choice" label stems from Arne Slot's decision to hand Szoboszlai the penalty duties again so soon after his Barnsley error, drawing fan scrutiny amid Liverpool's dropped points. As for Slot's job safety, whispers of pressure mount with Anfield frustrations, though no official updates confirm his position into January 2026. This draw highlights midfield woes and raises questions over penalty takers and tactical calls in a testing campaign[1][2].

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