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Beth Lindop
LIVERPOOL — With Liverpool under pressure in the dying minutes of their battling 2-1 victory over Everton, the ball fell to Ryan Gravenberch. The midfielder, camped deep inside of his own half, took it in stride and released it to Mohamed Salah. Within seconds, Liverpool were bearing down on the Everton goal.
It was far from the most eye-catching moment in Gravenberch’s all-action display, but it reinforced a sentiment that is becoming increasingly difficult to argue against: he has become irreplaceable to Liverpool.
The Netherlands midfielder was something of an afterthought when he first arrived at Anfield in a £34 million move from Bayern Munich in 2022. Now, he stands alongside captain Virgil van Dijk and the talismanic Salah as a vital cog in Arne Slot’s Liverpool machine.
The 23-year-old proved that again on Saturday afternoon, scoring a superb opener before teeing up striker Hugo Ekitike to score a well-worked second goal for the hosts. In doing so, he became the youngest player to both score and assist for Liverpool in a Premier League Merseyside derby, and ended the game tied for the team high in recoveries (seven) and second in terms of completed passes (47).
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After the break, Gravenberch was afforded less license to roam forward as Everton cranked up the pressure, eventually halving the deficit through a fine finish from Idrissa Gueye, but he remained a reliable anchor at the base of Reds’ midfield, helping his team to maintain their flawless record in the Premier League with five wins from five games so far this term.
Of course, Gravenberch’s quiet brilliance will not have come as a surprise to those of a Liverpool persuasion. Last season, only Salah and Van Dijk played more minutes for Slot’s side in the Premier League as they romped to the title. After starting just 12 league games in his debut season under Jurgen Klopp, Gravenberch made himself indispensable as a repurposed deep-lying No. 6 under Slot, with Liverpool’s failed pursuit of Real Sociedad’s Martín Zubimendi — who signed for Arsenal in the summer — opening the door for the Dutchman to play a starring role.
His goal against Everton was a culmination of a full-throttle start from the hosts in the derby, with his sublime half volley arrowing past a stretching Jordan Pickford. Gravenberch then turned provider, feeding the pall into the path of the lively Ekitike who slotted home to put Liverpool 2-0 up inside 29 minutes.
But, despite their early dominance, Slot’s side once again failed to kill off the game and were made to pay shortly before the hour mark when Gueye rifled past Alisson Becker to give David Moyes’ side renewed hope. Unlike in Liverpool’s other matches this season, no late rescue job was required as the hosts just about managed to keep Everton at bay. However, the fact that the league leaders have taken a two-goal lead in four games this season and have failed to keep a clean sheet of any of them is a concern, particularly considering their main title rivals are Arsenal side that have conceded only one goal in all competitions this term.
1:25
Is Ekitike the ‘real surprise’ from Liverpool this season?
Mark Ogden talks about Hugo Ekitike’s surprising contribution to Liverpool so far this season.
Still, the fact remains that Liverpool have played three games in the space of seven days and recorded three victories. They remain the early-season pace setters; thanks in no small part to the efforts of Gravenberch in midfield.
“Maybe not off the pitch, but on the pitch he does like the spotlight,” Slot said of the midfielder in his postmatch news conference. “I was planning to take him off after 60 minutes, but then we conceded the goal. I think he took the spotlight mainly because of the attacking things he does but I also see how much he runs off the ball, how many times he’s there to help out Conor (Bradley) when he’s in the 2v1 situation.
“He’s done very well and now it’s been maybe a bit more in the spotlight because he has his goals in his assist. But even if he wouldn’t have had that, he would’ve still played really well.”
Having failed to score in the Premier League last season, Gravenberch already has two goals in the competition this term, having also netted in the 3-2 win over Newcastle United last month. Those numbers speak of a player at the peak of his powers, playing under a manger who knows how to unlock his considerable skillset.
Speaking to ESPN last year, the midfielder’s father, Ryan Gravenberch Sr., said: “We are God-believing people, and we think God sent Arne to us and to Liverpool. Obviously he’s [Slot] Dutch so when he explains something to Ryan, he can understand it very clearly. He communicates superbly. “The main thing he’s said to Ryan is: ‘I’m going to play you and so it is on you to maintain playing.’ He was very clear about that and that has worked for both sides.”
Certainly, if his current form is anything to go by, Gravenberch and Liverpool look like a match made in heaven.
