Liverpool dispatched an injury-hit Nottingham Forest side in the Premier League with relative ease, winning 3-0 at Anfield to continue the seasonal revival and keep on the tail of table-toppers Tottenham Hotspur.
Last year, the Reds scarcely produced performances of the level that has become the standard under Jurgen Klopp's tutelage, but after some impressive transfer business in the summer,
There will be tougher tests to come, but the sustained performances from several of the Reds' star players will have left the German manager delighted, with none more noteworthy than Dominik Szoboszlai's creative masterclass.
Dominik Szoboszlai's performance vs Nottingham Forest
Starting on the front foot, Liverpool were made to wait until the half-hour mark to bypass Matt Turner's goal, with Diogo Jota latching onto a rebound from Darwin Nunez's shot to open the scoring, before the Uruguayan doubled the lead minutes later.
Mohamed Salah continued his imperious start to the season with a gifted goal after the break, but in truth, Liverpool coasted for large parts of the second half and enjoyed a comfortable win to maintain their fine start.
At the centre of all that was positive was Szoboszlai, who has been sensational since joining in a £60m deal from German side RB Leipzig in July, producing assists for Jota and Salah's goals.
Statistic
Rating
Minutes played
90
Assists
2
Touches
106
Pass completion
75/81 (93%)
Key passes
4
Ground duels won
4/7 (57%)
Dribble attempts
3/4 (75%)
*Statistics sourced via Sofascore
It was a mesmeric performance of control and confidence, and it's a small wonder that talent scout Jacek Kulig declared him as the "Hungarian artist" for his creative flair and ingenuity.
His brace of assists now takes his seasonal tally to two goals and assists apiece across all competitions, but the 23-year-old's quality stretches far beyond the mere merit of direct contributions, with his crisp passing, progressive surges, and tenacious defensive work all on display against Forest.
Unfortunately for Steve Cooper, the trees were not so tricky on Merseyside, and Szoboszlai played a central role in stifling any tincture of attacking threat the visitors could muster.
"Magnificent" Van Dijk back to his best
While Szoboszlai will draw the headlines thanks to his creativity, Virgil van Dijk was once again almighty in the Anfield rearguard, with the Dutchman reclaiming his throne as the division's best centre-half after struggling somewhat last season.
Journalist Samuel Luckhurst remarked that "his drop-off has been staggering" as Liverpool fell by the wayside last year, but was appointed captain following the summer exits of Jordan Henderson and James Milner.
Against Forest, the 32-year-old colossus made four clearances, blocked two shots and completed a tackle and interception apiece, also winning eight of his nine (89%) duels, as per Sofascore, and contributed enormously toward the third clean sheet of the league campaign.
Furthermore, the £220k-per-week machine took 117 touches and completed 94% of his passes, while also making a key pass and succeeding with 12 of his 15 attempted long balls.
Journalist Lewis Bower even hailed his “magnificent” display, with the dominance he exudes in key moments simply breathtaking; quite simply, the away side's advances fell flat on nearly every occasion.
As per FBref, the distinguished titan ranks among the top 5% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for aerial wins and the top 14% for clearances per 90, further underscoring his value as one of the finest and most composed of his position.
Forest were nullified, with Van Dijk's current confidence hinting at rekindled authority and a presence that proved so integral to Liverpool's previous illustrious exploits as he dominated the away side with his imperious display in and out of possession.
