The Netherlands global left Ajax for Bayern Munich in the summertime of 2022, however things didn’t exercise in the Bundesliga. He made 33 looks in all competitors for Bayern, though just 6 were starts, not even accumulating 1,000 minutes general in the 2022-23 project.

That caused a transfer to Anfield last summertime as part of Jürgen Klopp’s midfield restore, and Gravenberch at first amazed, especially in the group phase of the Europa League, mostly playing as one of 2 sophisticated 8s. Again, however, he didn’t pin down a routine location in Klopp’s beginning lineup.

In his very first season at Liverpool, Gravenberch made 38 looks in all competitors with simply 21 of those as a starter, taping 4 objectives and 2 helps. He just began 3 video games in a row when, and prior to the start of 2024-25, had actually refrained from doing so given that last October.

However, his brand-new head coach and fellow Dutchman, Slot, has not simply handed him 3 starts of 3 currently, however he has actually charged Gravenberch with playing as a deep-lying midfielder, and the 22-year-old is flourishing.

After 3 video games and 3 wins for Liverpool in 2024-25, just Virgil van Dijk (220) has actually tried more passes than him, with Gravenberch discovering a colleague with 88.8% of his (159 of 179). Only Luis Díaz (45) has actually tried more brings (moving a minimum of 5 metres with the ball) than his 40, while no-one has actually followed a bring with a pass as often times as his 36, revealing that he is not just moving the ball with function however is doing so as part of passing relocations.

Gravenberch is likewise playing a crucial function in Liverpool’s accumulation play. His pass to Mohamed Salah at Ipswich on the opening weekend of the season enabled the Egyptian to lay the ball to Trent Alexander-Arnold, which caused the England man’s magnificent return ball to release Salah, who then teed up Diogo Jota for the opener.

He believed he’d played a part in Liverpool taking an early lead at Old Trafford, too. He got a pass from Van Dijk, letting the ball roll throughout him to fool Kobbie Mainoo before dribbling far from the United child and feeding Díaz. The resulting objective from Alexander-Arnold was eliminated for offside versus Salah, however it signified things to come.

Gravenberch then obstructed a pass from Casemiro in the past once again dribbling forward. After looking numerous times over to the various colleagues rupturing towards package to his left, he waited and laid an ideal ball into the course of Salah on the right, who crossed for Díaz to head in the opener at the back post.

The journey to Man Utd was Liverpool’s very first huge test under Slot, however it was likewise a huge test for Gravenberch after 2 outstanding provings versus Ipswich and Brentford. Like his colleagues, he increased to the celebration.

For the visitors on Sunday, just Salah (21) tried more passes in the last 3rd than Gravenberch’s 17. He won 7 of his 10 battles, with just Van Dijk winning as lots of, while he made 4 interceptions and won 3 fouls, both the greatest overalls for Slot’s guys.

His employer was pleased with Gravenberch’s efficiency, stating after the video game when asked what qualities he gives the 6 function: “His quality on the ball might be my very first response however I believe originating from the Netherlands all of us understand how excellent he is with the ball. He can be a truly crucial gamer for our accumulation video game, however what impressed me most when I began dealing with him [was] just how much he can run and after that still how excellent he is when he gets here in the battle.

“Today, you saw with him, Dominik [Szoboszlai] and Macca [Alexis Mac Allister] how much they were able to keep on running. Sometimes you’re late, but then they just kept on running and arriving in the duel. So, that is the one thing that impressed me most about him: how good he also is without the ball.”

Gravenberch has actually certainly been outstanding without the ball in the opening weeks of the project. He has actually made the joint-most deals with for Liverpool together with Mac Allister (8) and has actually made the most interceptions (7). In truth, simply 4 gamers in the Premier League have actually made more interceptions. Only Dominik Szoboszlai (19) and Mac Allister (18) have actually made more healings of Liverpool’s outfield gamers, while his 17 battles won is the joint-most together with Mac Allister and Díaz.

Gravenberch seems taking care of the ball much better also. ‘Possession lost’ is a metric that doesn’t constantly inform the story it recommends; gamers like Kevin De Bruyne, Bruno Fernandes and Alexander-Arnold can fall nasty of it due to the fact that of their high-risk, high-reward technique with the ball.

However, it is a metric Gravenberch has actually constantly ranked extremely in, which might have been a concern for Slot ahead of playing him in a much deeper position where keeping the ball is so crucial. As is to be anticipated for a young, establishing midfielder, Gravenberch has actually enhanced year on year in minimizing how frequently he loses the ball, and he has actually brought his per-90 average to 9.4 from 13.8 last season.

That’s not to state it’s due to the fact that he’s being too mindful with his circulation either, with 25.1% of his passes moving forward. By contrast, his midfield partner Mac Allister has actually just sent out somewhat more of his passes forward (28.4%).

It’s fascinating that Gravenberch is playing along with a gamer like Mac Allister. The Dutchman might have invested the majority of his profession in advanced locations, however he did play in a much deeper function for much of the 2021-22 season for Ajax. However, that was mostly playing beside Edson Álvarez, now of West Ham, who is more of a destroyer-type midfielder than Mac Allister.

Despite that, the duo are matching each other well, and dovetailed especially perfectly in the win at United on Sunday, with the ever-willing running of Szoboszlai ahead of them providing good balance in midfield.

Gravenberch has the number 6 position in his belongings, and in a big video game at Old Trafford, he provided.

It might just be early days, however Zubimendi’s rejection to leave the Basque nation might be the very best thing that’s ever occurred for the Dutchman.

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