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Ben Foster feels Dominik Szoboszlai's lack of goal contributions so far in his Liverpool career are because he's performing a different role than at his previous clubs.
Szoboszlai, 23, has shown glimpses of promise this season after arriving at Anfield in a £60 million deal from RB Leipzig. The Hungarian midfielder has registered seven goals and four assists in 38 games across competitions. This is significantly less than the 10 goals and 13 assists in 46 games he managed with the Bundesliga side last season.
Foster delved into Szoboszlai's playing style while hailing his achievements at a young age. The former Manchester United goalkeeper told the Premier League's YouTube channel (2:08):
"He's kind of a box-to-box really, massive engine on him, you're talking about the Hungarian captain nearly 40 appearances for his country at the age of 23... He's a typical Jurgen Klopp signing, he just appears on the pitch on a Saturday afternoon and does his job."
Foster analyzed Szoboszlai's numbers in front of goal and pointed out that Jurgen Klopp has handed him a less attacking job in midfield:
"He hasn't been particularly prolific this season, I think at other clubs he's always scored goals, one in every four games. At Liverpool, it's not quite clicked at that end of the pitch yet but I think he's been asked to do a slightly different role."
Szoboszlai joined a Reds side brimming with attacking talent such as Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, and Diogo Jota.
Foster alluded to this:
"When you've got so many attacking players that Liverpool have it's not really up to him but when he gets in front of goal he can be very clinical."
Szoboszlai was a regular starter at the start of the season. Klopp has brought him in and out of his starting XI during the second half of the campaign. He's played in central midfield, attacking midfield, and even on the left wing.
Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai insists he can be even better
Szoboszlai gave an honest verdict of his near first season at Liverpool. He ensured fans that they hadn't seen the best of him (via Liverpool Echo):
"I’m working every day to get my best shape. If you think my best shape was at the beginning of season, it wasn’t – I can be even better.”
Szoboszlai caught the eye with fantastic showings in the first half of the season but has come off the boil. He was wasteful in a 2-2 draw with Manchester United (April 7) and gave the ball away for one of Atalanta's goals in a shock 3-0 UEFA Europa League quarterfinal first-leg home loss (April 11).
The draw with United was followed up by a shock 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at Anfield. Szoboszlai aimed to win a quadruple this season but his side risk missing out on the title and the Europa League.
