If the fury and frustration were palpable in the Anfield stands on Wednesday night, Dominik Szoboszlai soon proved those same emotions were swirling in the Liverpool dressing room. In a raw and revealing post-match interview, the Hungarian midfielder laid bare the confidence crisis gripping the squad after a dismal 1-1 draw with Sunderland.
A Stark Admission of Poor Form
Approaching midnight, Szoboszlai emerged carrying the weight of Liverpool's problems on his shoulders. When asked how he felt about the result, his response was blunt: "Not very good." A five-second silence followed, speaking volumes. He made no attempt to sugar-coat the situation or search for hollow positives, despite the club being just points off the Champions League places.
This honesty is a key reason Liverpool signed the Hungarian captain in 2023—for his leadership as much as his quality. His intense disappointment, and the fire behind his eyes, evoked memories of how another legendary Liverpool number 8, Steven Gerrard, might have spoken in difficult times. "It's important to me," Szoboszlai stressed, echoing a familiar refrain. "As a Liverpool player, we should not accept being in this situation. Drawing at home? Sunderland have a great team, for sure. But if we were in the same situation as last year, there's no way we'd drop points at home. That's what we're missing now."
Confidence Shattered in a Ruinous Run
The statistics are damning. In their last 14 matches across all competitions, Liverpool have conceded the first goal a staggering 10 times. This pattern has shattered the team's self-belief. "When you don't win, the confidence goes down a little," Szoboszlai admitted. He insists the players are professional enough to rebuild confidence from within, supporting each other on the pitch and in training, but acknowledged the current deficit is glaring.
His concern was visibly evident at the final whistle, when he sought out forward Hugo Ekitike for a heated discussion as they left the pitch. Szoboszlai explained this was due to a wasted chance that they had specifically practised just two days prior. "He tried to hit it as hard as he could. At least he had the chance; we have to take the positive from the negative. Next time, he will score," he said, showing a sliver of hope amidst the criticism.
The Weight on Arne Slot and the Road to Leeds
With hope in short supply, big questions loom over Anfield. Can manager Arne Slot find the solutions? Will big-money signings like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak make the expected impact? Has the club lost its aura indefinitely? Szoboszlai was clear that the responsibility does not lie with the coach alone. "He can give the structure and the ideas. Even if they are good, we have to give our best and that's what we try to do every game. Don't get me wrong, we are not here to lose."
The immediate challenge is a trip to Elland Road to face Leeds United on Saturday afternoon. Szoboszlai frowned as he noted Leeds are playing better than their league position suggests, fresh from a 3-1 dismantling of Chelsea. He refused to even contemplate another setback, stating he wouldn't re-watch the Sunderland match, though the one-hour drive home gave him ample time to reflect. "I can't sleep, but it's not because of the result, it's because of the game. As I'm awake, I think. But it doesn't matter what I think. It's the whole package, the whole team and the whole situation—we have to find answers for it."
In a final note of defiance, he concluded: "That's why we like football. Sometimes it's hard, but the hard times make you stronger." For Liverpool, those hard times are very much the present, and the path back to strength looks increasingly difficult.
