Some players rose higher than expected. Others slipped when it mattered most. But one question still hangs in the air, which surprises matter the most for Liverpool’s future?
Liverpool’s season has offered more twists than a Trent switch of play. Fans came into the year expecting steady growth under Arne Slot, but what they got instead was a mix of breakout stories, quiet disappointments, and a few eyebrow-raising turns.
And the mystery remains: which of these shocks will define the rest of the campaign?
Two players, in particular, demand attention — Dominik Szoboszlai, who has been the engine of Liverpool’s midfield, and Milos Kerkez, whose Liverpool chapter has veered sharply away from expectation.
Their journeys couldn’t be more different, and that contrast says a lot about where Liverpool stand today.
The rise of Dominik Szoboszlai
Liverpool fans expected competition. They did not expect this. While many predicted he might struggle for minutes after Florian Wirtz arrived, Szoboszlai decided to rewrite the script, and he did it with his trademark relentlessness.
Arne Slot has relied on him everywhere. Midfield. Right-back. High press. Ball carrier. Defensive runner.
And just like his famous treadmill story from his Salzburg days, he keeps pushing the pace until everyone else falls off.
Virgil van Dijk summed it up simply: “What you see is what you get from Dom… the energy he brings on the pitch is incredible.”
He has become the player Liverpool can’t do without. And the numbers show why.
Dominik Szoboszlai season stats for Liverpool
| Competition | Games | Goals | Assists | Minutes | xG | xGOT | Successful Passes | Pass Accuracy |
| Premier League | 11 | 1 | 1 | 990 | 1.37 | 1.00 | 573 | 86.9% |
| Champions League | 4 | 1 | 3 | 360 | 0.88 | 0.66 | 256 | 91.4% |
(Stats via Fotmob)
He is not the flashiest scorer, but he is the glue. The heartbeat. The player you miss the moment he’s not there — and one day, he might even wear the armband to prove it.
The fall: Kerkez’s Liverpool move takes a painful turn
If Szoboszlai is Liverpool’s pleasant surprise, Milos Kerkez is the plot twist nobody wanted.
Signed for £40 million and expected to push Andy Robertson, the Hungarian full-back has instead faced the toughest spell of his career.
And the concern isn’t just the performances — it’s the collapse of confidence that seems to surround them.
Getting subbed after 38 minutes vs Burnley. Hesitant passing. Nervous touches.
Teammates reportedly unsure whether to involve him. Even Gary Neville said he “plays like a 10-year-old” — a line harsh enough to feel like a studs-up challenge.
But the stats paint a brutal picture of their own.
Milos Kerkez: Season Stats Snapshot
| Metric | Number | Rank | What It Suggests |
| Ground Duels Won | 15 | 1,937 | Losing key battles |
| Tackles | 27 | 2,122 | Below Premier League level |
| Passing Accuracy | 78.43% | 2,042 | Teammates lose trust |
| Assists | 0 | 2,365 | No attacking impact |
| Clean Sheets | 0 | 1,568 | Struggling defensively |
| Aerial Duel Win % | 68.18% | 636 | Good raw tools |
Kerkez’s story is not about talent. At Bournemouth, he looked fearless. At Liverpool, the pressure is heavier, the tactical demands sharper, and the spotlight brighter.
Right now, he looks stuck between systems and stuck inside his own head.
The question is not whether he has ability — it’s whether Liverpool can rebuild him before the damage becomes permanent.
So who truly surprised us the most?
Szoboszlai’s rise was impressive but not unexpected. Kerkez’s struggles were shocking but maybe predictable for a young player still learning.
Together, they show how unpredictable Liverpool’s season has become, a reminder that football doesn’t always follow reputation or price tag.
One player is sprinting toward leadership. The other is fighting to avoid becoming cautionary-tale trivia. And both stories matter for Liverpool’s next steps.