'I feel more comfortable under Arne Slot and now I've got properly in Liverpool rhythm'

Ryan Gravenberch has recently spoken about feeling more at ease under Arne Slot's management at Liverpool this season, explaining a marked improvement in his performances.

The midfield maestro has been exceptional under the guidance of the Dutch boss, clinching a man-of-the-match accolade as the Reds edged past Wolves with a 2-1 victory. This triumph hoisted Liverpool to the top spot in the league standings, nudging ahead of fierce competitors Manchester City and Arsenal, with a sterling record of just one defeat in their six Premier League matches to date.

Gravenberch's stature in the team has risen considerably with six consecutive starts this season, gaining a key position in Slot's scheme, a noteworthy shift from last year's scenario where Jurgen Klopp gave him just 12 appearances in the league. Reflecting on Liverpool's recent success and his form, he lavished praise on Slot after Saturday's match, expressing how much more "comfortable" he feels playing this term as opposed to the previous one under Jurgen Klopp's tutelage.

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Talking to Trouw, the 22-year-old delineated his enhanced enjoyment of the beautiful game during this spell, dismissing any idea of a dramatic transformation in his skills by stating: "No, that's all exaggerated. I'm the same Gravenberch. I sometimes had matches where I only touched the ball after five minutes [last season]. Then I don't get into my game, I don't get into my rhythm. This feels more comfortable to me."

Gravenberch further attributed Slot's strategic nous for Liverpool's impressive surge at the start of the season in an additional chat with De Volkskrant, noting that the coach's clear direction on build-up play and pressing is something which he has embraced and aims to sustain with consistent performances. "The coach knows that I have a lot of football in me," he said. "He has a clear plan, with the build-up, with the pressing. It is up to me to maintain that and be consistent."

The Dutch midfielder reflected on his growth and the clarity provided by his coach: "He gave me the chance from the start. I had to focus on a certain position. A bit more defensive. I do my thing and that works out well. That has to do with myself and with the coach. There was clarity from the start. We play as a team, and then the individual also looks better."

Delighted after the victory over Wolves, Gravenberch shared: "This season I wanted to show myself again and I am really happy. He put me in the starting 11 and gave me a lot of confidence. I think a team like Liverpool always has to be in the top four."

"We keep pushing but it's still really early. We knew this was always going to be difficult for us. I think after 20 or 25 minutes we did really well and we got the three points so I'm really happy with that."

Critical of the Reds' performance at times, he added: "We gave the equalizer away because of miscommunication. This can happen in football but it won't happen again. We always try to push and we had a lot of chances. Maybe in the last phase of the game we could have scored one more."

He emphasized the importance of learning from their lapses: "But at the end of the day we still won. I think we lost a lot of concentration, myself included. We won but we have to learn from what we missed today. We have to get better."

Looking ahead, Gravenberch is poised to continue his solid performances as Liverpool welcomes Bologna for an upcoming Champions League match and then travels to Selhurst Park for a weekend clash against Crystal Palace.

Liverpool.com says: Gravenberch has been brilliant at the start of this season. He has found a new level and looks so happy at the base of the midfield. It was a sliding-doors moment for the Reds when they went after Martin Zubimendi in the summer. On the evidence of the opening eight games of the Slot era, it has worked out in Liverpool's favor.