The season of Dominik Szoboszlai main-character energy is one of the stories of the 2025/26 Liverpool campaign of Arne Slot.
The Hungarian is performing his most fulfilling season in the red, at the age of 25. Szoboszlai wears the famous No. 8 shirt which was initially used by Steven Gerrard, and the combination of the role of a leader, goal scorer, and big-match player is working to make him the key figure in the success of Liverpool in all competitions.
As of mid-February 2026, his impact could be measured and shown through 35 appearances, 10 goals, and 7 assists in all competitions. Better still, his performances are defining some of the most important outcomes at critical points.
The figures of Szoboszlai denote his impact.
The work produced by Szoboszlai this season indicates the increased power he acquired within the system of Arne Slot.
2025/26 Season Stats (All Competitions -mid-February)
| Competition | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Competitions | 35 | 10 | 7 |
| Premier League | 24 | 4 | 2 |
| Champions League | 8 | 4 | 4 |
He has also scored four and two goals and one assist in 24 games in the Premier League. Those numbers are not outstanding, but his influence is substituted by:
- High minutes played
- Consistent chance creation
- Moving forward through the middle of the field.
- Relentless pressing
However, Szoboszlai has been decisive in the Champions League. He has contributed eight goals in eight games and this ranks him as one of the best players in the competition. Kylian Mbappe is the only player to have made more goal involvements in this season tournament.
The campaign is characterized by big-game performances.
The main-character energy is the term that is used in order to express the tendency of Szoboszlai to shape the defining moments.
His contributions of note can be listed as:
- Otherwise a late goal against Inter Milan.
- Helping in the decisive objective against Real Madrid.
- Providing an angle that brought about Virgil van Dijk goal against Atletico Madrid.
- Going in the first goal in Marseilles.
His figure has attained a new plane in the last few weeks. In his previous nine games until the beginning of February, he has scored five goals and two assists.
These performances have involved:
- Man-of-the-match displays
- A beautiful long range rush target.
- A direct free-kick strike
- Good performances against Brighton in the FA Cup and Arsenal.
In this season, he has even been even better than Mohamed Salah in some parts of the season, which is quite a change in the Liverpool attack story.
The acclaiming of Mohamed Salah is an indicator of evolving times.
One of the most considered modern greats in the team of Liverpool, Mohamed Salah, has recently referred to Szoboszlai as one of the best players in the world today.
The comment was weighty, considering the experience and size of the player Salah is.
When Salah was dropped in November earlier in the season and Szoboszlai was sent to the right wing, it was a tactical change and not tension. The two have a close bond with halal football with Szoboszlai borrowing the yoga-inspired goal celebration by Salah against Barnsley to give it as a loving gift.
It has now taken a role reversal with Szoboszlai outshining Salah in certain portions of the campaign. It highlights the fact that the attacking responsibility of Liverpool is becoming decentralized and based not on a single individual.
Arne Slot under Tactical evolution.
At Szoboszlai, the position of Arne Slot has been increased.
He has worked in various positions in the middlefield:
- Sophisticated attacking midfielder.
- Box-to-box engine
- Wide right option
- Deep transitional outlet
The fact that he is aggressive is made possible by his physicality. His technical quality promotes rapid combinations and forwarding. His long-range shooting provides an outside the box threat of goal.
Slot has complimented his development since his arrival in RB Leipzig, especially his tactical acumen and stability.
Such flexibility provides Liverpool with more balance between midfield control and attacking thrust. Szoboszlai is a motivating person who will be changing things, and his higher efficiency in the last third is guaranteed by his enhanced decision-making.
The inevitable comparison of Steven Gerrard.
When one dons the No. 8 shirt of Liverpool one would be bound to make comparisons with Steven Gerrard.
The similarities are explainable:
- Goal-scoring from midfield
- Driving forward runs
- Leadership presence
- Big-game contributions
The fans and analysts have referred him as a worthy successor to the shirt. The fact that he has been influential in 2026 especially in European fixtures has fortified that story.
Szoboszlai has dealt with those comparisons, however. He has claimed that he is writing his own story, and not making direct statements that he is duplicating a club legend.
Such a moderate attitude is mature. It recognises the history of Liverpool and emphasizes on the current performance.
This is an implication on the season of Liverpool.
Liverpool are still competitive in all competitions, and the position held by Szoboszlai lies at its core.
His ability to:
- Make powerful Champions League contributions.
- Keep the intensity of pressing high.
- Assistance (midfield and offense)
- Produce clutch moments
has made him one of the pillars of the system of Slot.
He is a 25 year old man, with prime years ahead of him. In the event that he continues at this pace, he may play a key role in any silverware advancement this season.
Until this point, the energy season of the Dominik Szoboszlai main-character is not one of comparisons. It is concerning steady influence, leadership development, and decisional influence on the highest level.
The developing identity of Liverpool in the hands of Arne Slot is more and more based on a midfielder who is no longer a part of the story, but one who is leading the storyline.
