After Beating Milan, Liverpool is Finding the Answer for the No. 6 Position

The disappointment from Liverpool’s 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest last weekend has vanished after Arne Slot’s squad secured a 3-1 victory over AC Milan at San Siro.

Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, and Dominik Szoboszlai all scored to give Liverpool their first Champions League win of the season.

However, alongside these notable names, the performance of midfielder Ryan Gravenberch also received much praise.

Playing as a No. 6 alongside Alexis Mac Allister in a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Dutch star used his physical strength to handle ball recovery and provide timely coverage for his teammates.

Although he did not deliver as stellar a performance as he did against Manchester United, Gravenberch’s quiet contributions had a significant impact on Liverpool’s gameplay.

Against Milan, he achieved a 90% pass accuracy rate, regained possession 10 times, and made 6 interceptions. The solid presence of the former Bayern Munich star provided a foundation for Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai to join the attacks freely.

Commenting on the Dutch star’s recent performance, former footballer Warnock said:

“The standout player of the match was Ryan Gravenberch in the No. 6 role, the holding position. What’s crucial for Arne Slot is his two holding midfielders. In the first 15 minutes, the instability between Mac Allister and Gravenberch made things uncertain. But once the balance returned, they controlled the game.”

There’s no doubt that Gravenberch is the player Slot has transformed the most since the Dutch manager replaced Jurgen Klopp.

Although Slot has only worked with the 22-year-old for a few weeks, he seems to have identified his strengths and devised suitable tactics to help his compatriot develop.

Consequently, Gravenberch has shed the lack of confidence and uncertainty from last season, instead asserting himself as someone who can help Liverpool solve their midfield issues, even after missing out on Martin Zubimendi in the summer transfer window.

It’s still too early to say whether Gravenberch can become a top No. 6 and the next Fabinho at Anfield. However, at this moment, it must be acknowledged that he is playing a crucial role in this transitional era.