'He was going for Ryan' - What Ryan Gravenberch did to enrage team-mates in Liverpool training
Ryan Gravenberch has enjoyed a sensational season so far following Arne Slot’s arrival as Liverpool head coach. The Netherlands international has been a standout performer for the Reds, playing a vital role in them winning 15 of their 17 matches to date under his compatriot.
Liverpool currently top both the Premier League and Champions League tables off the back of such form, while they are also through to the League Cup quarter-finals.
After being rejected by Martin Zubimendi in the summer, Slot turned to Gravenberch as the Reds’ number six. And he has shone in the role, in Liverpool’s new 4-2-3-1 set-up.
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It’s a far cry from his maiden campaign on Merseyside where the 22-year-old took his time to settle in England following his £40m move from Bayern Munich, battled injury and inconsistent form and found himself in and out of Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI as a result.
Yet while Gravenberch has been a star player for the Reds this season, it is perhaps a slightly different story in training.
Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson have revealed how the Dutchman recently left the latter fuming in training, as the former shared his relief that his team-mate plays better than he trains.
“Sometimes we have to shout at the young lads, sometimes they need an arm around them,” Robertson said, when sitting alongside team-mates Salah and Alisson Becker in the second episode of 'The Reds Roundtable’.
“Every game, yeah. But it’s not always just in games either, it’s in training as well.”
“You were fuming today in training, huh?” Salah cheekily interjected with a smile on his face.
Robertson admitted: “Yeah, really annoyed.” And after being asked why by host Kelly Cates, the Scot revealed that Gravenberch had been the source of his frustration.
“He was going for Ryan!” Salah chuckled, with Cates joking, “Because he got man of the match again?”
“Yeah, man of the match went straight to his head!” Robertson replied, before Salah added: “I’m really glad that he doesn’t play in a game like training!”
While his training performances might frustrate his senior team-mates at times, Gravenberch hasn’t let them down on the pitch. The 22-year-old has made 15 appearances so far this season, completing every minute in both the Premier League and Champions League.