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Perhaps the biggest compliment about the season that Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai is having so far is that his performance against Real Madrid went slightly under the radar.
The Hungarian was unfortunate not to score when Thibaut Courtois made a stunning save in the first half, but he pressed relentlessly and was a crucial component in the center of the field for Arne Slot's side. The most advanced midfielder, he never stopped running, and crossed for Alexis Mac Allister's deadlock-breaking header. At this point, though, that is the norm.
In the summer, when Florian Wirtz was signed from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of up to $157 million (£116 million) including add-ons, some assumed that Szoboszlai was the man set to be replaced. How wrong they were; in reality, his place has never been more secure.
"What you see is what you get from Dom," Virgil van Dijk told reporters at Anfield after his team got over the line against Real Madrid.
"He is very important. The energy he brings on the pitch is incredible and the quality that he has is outstanding.
"Like you said, he is learning each and every game and he is developing into the player we all feel like he could be. He is already showing that for the country he is playing for and it is about keeping on doing it for the rest of the season.
"So far he has had a great start to the season and he has to keep going. Keep your head down and keep performing."
Szoboszlai is one of the first names on the teamsheet at the moment. Though the selection conundrums for Slot will only grow when Alexander Isak returns to fitness, that isn't going to change any time soon.
Right now, it would be ludicrous to break up the Gravenberch-Szoboszlai-Mac Allister midfield trio for the biggest games. While they can't play 90 minutes in every fixture, they should be together as often as possible.
As Szoboszlai excelled again, Wirtz put in his best performance in a Liverpool jersey to date against Real Madrid, drifting inside from the left and showing a real determination to leave an impression.
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Quite simply, Szoboszlai has to be in the team — and in midfield, not at full-back — but the balance looked right with Wirtz stationed out wide in place of Cody Gakpo.
At times, Gakpo will come in. Isak might play with Hugo Ekitike too, and against a different opposition, Liverpool might need a more physical solution (at some point, it will once again face relentless long throws).
But on the evidence of this season so far, Wirtz's best chance of getting into the team for Manchester City and beyond might be in the forward line.
Slot has found a line-up that gets both Szoboszlai and Wirtz on the field in their best roles, and suddenly, the team's balance looks right.
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