Ryan Gravenberch is now oozing so much confidence at Liverpool that he’s made the reigning PFA Player of the Year look rather ordinary in the first half at Anfield today!
The Reds raced out of the starting blocks against Manchester City, scoring inside 12 minutes as Mo Salah teed up Cody Gakpo with a sublime assist after a jaw-dropping pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold just beforehand.
Arne Slot’s team played like a side who came into the match eight points clear of their opponents in the Premier League table, and one split-second moment summed up where these two outfits currently find themselves.
Gravenberch outclasses Foden
As Joe Gomez played a pass into Gravenberch, he had to adjust his body to take control of the ball, particularly with Phil Foden in close attention.
However, the Liverpool midfielder bamboozled his Man City counterpart with an outstanding backflick and lightning-quick turn of pace, and the only way that the England international could stop him was to unsubtly pull at the red shirt with number 38 on the back.
The 24-year-old was inevitably shown a yellow card by Chris Kavanagh and was resigned to that fate from the moment that he was spun past by the Dutchman.
Gravenberch brimming with confidence
When Foden was winning the PFA Player of the Year last season and Gravenberch was in and out of the Liverpool starting XI, it would’ve been hard to envisage that, later in 2024, the latter would be making a mockery out of the former.
It’s a tremendous testament to how the 22-year-old has been playing that he’d have the audacity and confidence not only to try something like that in such a high-profile fixture, but also to pull it off so effortlessly.
In the first half against Man City, the Netherlands midfielder completed 21 of his 23 passes (91%), won three duels and made two tackles (via Sofascore), with those statistics summing up how impressive an afternoon he’s enjoying yet again in a red shirt.
You can view Gravenberch turning past Foden below, via @manlikeabdifam on X:
Nahhh that turn from gravenberch pic.twitter.com/U4YGzH14N2
— Ruben’s Red and White Army (@manlikeabdifam) December 1, 2024
