Liverpool’s Champions League night at Anfield was filled with drama, goals, and one standout performance that caught the eye of a former Everton star.
The Reds flew out of the blocks with Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah striking inside the opening six minutes to put Atletico Madrid on the back foot. Salah’s lightning-fast goal and assist even set a new European record. Despite Marcos Llorente pulling one back for the visitors before half-time, Virgil van Dijk stepped up once again with a late header to seal a thrilling 3-2 victory.
But while the goals told part of the story, it was Ryan Gravenberch who stole the spotlight. Ex-Everton midfielder Leon Osman, speaking on BBC Sport, described Liverpool’s first-half dominance as their most controlled display of the season—largely down to the Dutch midfielder’s influence.
“Gravenberch was outstanding. For me, he was the best player on the pitch,” Osman admitted.
The 22-year-old has quickly become a vital figure under Arne Slot, featuring in every match this season except for the opening day when he was suspended. With five goals and six assists already to his name across competitions, his mix of creativity and work rate is proving invaluable.
Slot now faces intriguing selection dilemmas. Robertson’s strong return at left-back has pushed Milos Kerkez down the pecking order, while up front, the manager must decide whether to persist with Alexander Isak over Hugo Ekitike.
One thing, however, looks certain—keeping Gravenberch fit could be the key to Liverpool’s ambitions this season.
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