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Szoboszlai shines in Salah’s position and converts late penalty in 1-0 Champions League win over Inter
Kolkata: Arne Slot needed to show that he had not lost the changing room. Liverpool had to prove that they could stop the lean run and not be affected by Mo Salah’s outburst in a season that began soon after the sudden death of a teammate. Coach and club got what they wanted in the 1-0 win at Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday through Dominik Szoboszlai’s 88th minute penalty.
Inter raged about the penalty awarded after Alessandro Bastoni tugged at Florian Wirtz’s shirt. Captain Lautaro Martinez was seen in animated discussion with German referee Felix Zwayer after the game and television cameras had captured him looking visibly upset when Szoboszlai scored. Slot and Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson agreed that the penalty was soft. “If that is a penalty we could have had 10 this season I think,” said the Liverpool head coach.
Yet, Liverpool were deserving winners. They were solid, ended the game stronger of the teams and had a goal disallowed in the 30th minute because Virgil van Dijk’s header, off a Szoboszlai corner-kick, hit Hugo Ekitike’s hand before Ibrahima Konate headed it in. They had more shots (12-9) and more shots on target (5-2). This, against a side that had not lost 18 Champions League matches at home since September 2022. A team that had won seven of their last nine matches in all competitions and played two of the last three Champions League finals.
Even though they had lost Hakan Calhanoglu and Francesco Acerbi to injuries by then, Inter grew in the game soon after the disallowed goal, forcing three corner-kicks and had Nicolo Barella going close with a free-kick. In first-half stoppage time, Bastoni found Martinez who swooped ahead of van Dijk to connect but Alisson produced a good reaction save.
At different times, Slot was seen gesturing to his players to not lose focus. They didn’t. Being able to absorb the pressure at San Siro could be the dose of confidence Liverpool need to end a run where they have won four of their last 15 matches. They did it with only 14 outfield players available. And this was Liverpool’s fourth game in 10 days.
Crucial to that was another standout performance from Szoboszlai who scored his fifth goal of the season. Used on the right – for 53 consecutive Premier League matches that was Salah’s starting position – in a midfield diamond, Szoboszlai was also the set-piece taker and was crucial in snuffing out a move in each half as Inter broke.
Alexis Mac Allister was the most advanced midfielder with Ryan Gravenberch at the base of the diamond. With Jones and Szoboszlai moving in, Liverpool shut out Inter’s five-man midfield for most of the night.
“In the rich history Liverpool have, they had many of these evenings but, in the season we are in, I think if you have an away win in this stadium against such a strong team then it should be about the midfield…,” said Slot.
Life without Salah, the third highest scorer in Liverpool’s history, including 46 Champions League goals, when Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike are building a relationship with each other and the rest of the squad will not be easy. But Salah’s form has plummeted. From 34 goals and 23 assists in 52 games in 2024-25, he has five goals and three assists in 19 this term. His touches in the penalty area per 90 minutes have fallen from 9.6 to 7.3.
There can be a number of reasons for this – Diogo Jota’s death, the departures of Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz, who would create space for him, and Trent Alexander-Arnold whose passing range Salah has missed. Salah is not the only Liverpool player to have lost form. But he is the only one to have publicly spoken about being thrown under the bus. Reason enough for fans and the club to see red.
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