Harvey Elliott made a big difference for Liverpool when he came on this weekend, while Curtis Jones has had to settle for a place on the bench in each of the last two Reds matches — big fixtures with Nottingham Forest and Brentford.

In part, Elliott has been missing through injury this season, but there is another factor keeping him — and Jones, right now — out of Arne Slot's first XI: Dominik Szoboszlai. The Hungarian has really stood up to be counted since coming back from suspension and illness, having been exceptional at Spurs before that.

Szoboszlai was probably Liverpool's best player midweek at the City Ground as he helped force the issue, while he picked up where he left off by being heavily influential against the Bees. Darwin Nunez's brace came when he had been taken off, but correlation is far from causation in that regard.

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Starting to really thrive as Liverpool's number 10, Szoboszlai has always had the running power and pressing intensity to make him a strong candidate for the role. Now, the on-the-ball stuff is starting to come alongside the physical element.

Szoboszlai was heavily involved for the 80 minutes he was on the field at the Gtech Community Stadium. He completed 91 per cent of his passes and had seven shots on goal. The 24-year-old should be able to find the back of the net more often with the quality that he possesses, but that should come in time — and he is working on it behind the scenes.

"It’s not only about training sessions and videos," he explained earlier in the season. "Of course, it helps a lot, but in the situation in the game it’s totally different.

"Even if I score in the training sessions — you can ask the guys, I score a couple of good goals! — in the game, it’s not the same. I’m trying to work on it, to be in the positions to score more goals, but yeah, even if it takes time, I will get there."

For now, how he is creating chances and making a major difference out of possession is a real positive. The only reason he might not start the next game is to rest him and give someone else a go.

With the business end of the season approaching and Liverpool fighting on all fronts, Szoboszlai's form is a real plus. A bit like Roberto Firmino, he might not be scoring as many as some, but he is adding plenty regardless, with his place in the side — on this evidence — very much assured.