Liverpool have to get 'standout' pair back performing again - it's not Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah

Stephen Warnock believes that Liverpool must get their engine room purring again to remedy their current problems.

The Reds have fallen into worrying form and there are genuine concerns about their Premier League title defence this season. Arne Slot’s side have suffered four successive top-flight defeats, most recently a 3-2 loss at Brentford.

Liverpool have looked a shadow of the team that cruised to the English championship in Slot’s maiden season as head coach. A summer squad rebuild has so far proven to bear fruit despite around £450 million being spent.

Mo Salah fired 33 goals in all competitions in 2024-25 but has been out of sorts, while captain Virgil van Dijk’s performances have come under scrutiny. They were regarded as Liverpool’s best two players by many last term.

Mac Allister and Gravenberch woes

But Stephen Warnock reckons that midfield duo Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch were even more important. Both were named in the PFA Team of the Year alongside Salah and Van Dijk.

Mac Allister has looked a shadow of his former self, however, while Gravenberch - who was absent against Brentford because of injury - has not been as influential in the middle of the park.

Speaking to Esports Bets, Warnock believes Slot needs to find a way to get the best out of both - as well as stopping Liverpool falling a goal behind in matches. The former Reds left-back said: “Give them a structure, balance the team a bit more and stop making them vulnerable on the counter-attack but that is very difficult when you're trying to get all your attacking players into the team.

“One of the other things they have to stop doing is going a goal behind. When you go a goal behind, then you've got to go and attack and you leave yourself more vulnerable and open. If you can find that balance, then things will change quite quickly. You need players to step up and perform.

“Liverpool's best players last season were Gravenberch and Mac Allister. Those were the two standout players but Mac Allister was the standout for me and they haven't hit the heights for whatever reason that might be. I know Mac Allister has picked up his fair share of injuries but if they can get those two playing strongly again, things will start to pick up again.”

Liverpool’s standout performer

While the majority of Liverpool’s players have struggled, including £100 million signing Florian Wirtz, the performances of Dominik Szoboszlai have been positive. The Hungary international has been the ‘standout player by a country mile’ according to Warnock.

He added: “Szoboszlai has been the standout player. From that midfield position and right-back position, the energy he brings and the quality he brings now, he has easily been Liverpool's best player, head and shoulders.

“He has enjoyed the responsibility of trying to step up. Obviously, Florian Wirtz coming into the Liverpool squad, everyone thought that's going to be the position that goes, Szoboszlai will sit on the bench but he is having none of it. He has been Liverpool's standout player by a country mile.”