Arne Slot insists Ryan Gravenberch being targeted by opponents

Arne Slot believes Ryan Gravenberch is being targeted by opponents intent on stopping Liverpool’s attacking play.

Gravenberch was substituted at half-time for the first time in the Premier League under Slot after a disappointing performance in Tuesday evening’s 2–1 defeat at Wolves.

The display followed another below-par showing in the previous away match at Nottingham Forest, although the midfielder did register an assist for Hugo Ekitike in the 5–2 home win over West Ham United last weekend.

Having been one of the Premier League’s standout players last season as Liverpool secured a record-equalling 20th league title, Ryan Gravenberch has found things more challenging this term in his defensive midfield role.

Slot admits the 23-year-old is now having to adjust to opponents deliberately making life difficult for him in the middle of the park.

“I think it’s clear to everyone that Ryan is really comfortable on the ball, and that he can drive the ball through the midfield,” said the Reds boss.

“What could be an answer to that is making sure the distances are so small that he doesn’t have a lot of space in between the lines.

“It’s not so complicated to see what our quality is in terms of our team. And we almost see every game what the answer to our quality is.

“One of the ways to respond to that is scoring from set-pieces. If it’s hard to generate chances from open play then you have to score from set-pieces, which didn’t go particularly well against Wolves although our biggest chance again came from a set-piece (when Curtis Jones was accidentally denied by team-mate Cody Gakpo). It was almost impossible not to score that one.

“That’s the way certain playing styles are being broken down. We have to try as much as we can to generate more from open play. But we’re not the only team who are having that (problem).”

Gravenberch had also received an early yellow card at Wolves for what appeared to be a debatable foul on João Gomes. Explaining his decision to replace the Netherlands international with Curtis Jones at half-time, Slot said: “I took him off because he got a yellow for a foul that wasn’t a foul.

“And then afterwards he was doing a bit of holding and that player fell down again, and I saw the referee doubting, doubting, doubting, so I thought, maybe it’s smart to take him off.

“He did not play his best first half but I think there are not many players in the world that, if the team plays at this (gestures low) level, that an individual plays at this (gestures high) level.

“I fully believe in the fact that an individual performance always comes from a good team performance, and the better we play, the better the individuals will play as well.

“And players usually look better when you win games, because if he makes the same actions in a game where we lose or he makes the same actions in a game where we win, you’re hyped when you win.”

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