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Few Liverpool players could truly come out of Saturday's late defeat at Crystal Palace with much credit, but two stood out above the rest: Alisson Becker and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Alisson kept Liverpool in the game in the first period, making a series of good saves. Without a shot-stopper as proficient as the Brazilian, it is no exaggeration to say that the Reds would have been 4-0 down at the interval.
Szoboszlai, meanwhile, was diligent in his off-the-ball work and one of the few bright sparks in possession too. The Hungarian and Ryan Gravenberch have been the best performers so far this season, and the Dutchman was outshone here.
But as good as Szoboszlai was in midfield, he did just as well when he moved back to full-back for a spell. And with big games coming up this week in Galatasaray and Chelsea, one decision Arne Slot is set to make has surely been made for him.
In a heated atmosphere on Tuesday, going with either Frimpong or Bradley at right-back isn’t the obvious answer. Szoboszlai is.
The former RB Leipzig ace simply has to be on the field somewhere for his tenacity and driving pressing. So far this season, he’s proven to be the best option available to the right of Ibrahima Konate.
In time, of course, Frimpong will improve. He’s had good moments for Liverpool, certainly, and he has talent.
The winning goal at Selhurst Park came from his part of the pitch, though, and Slot appeared to hint that he was at fault post-match.
"One of our players decided to run out because he wanted to play a counter-attack, which was of no use because time was up so it was only about defending," he said.
"Maybe we were too offensively minded. Not we, one player, was too offensively minded in that moment, which led to them scoring the winner, us losing the game."
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Like Frimpong, Bradley has plenty of ability. He isn’t long back from an injury and is still a young player who will have inconsistencies.
At the current moment, though, he isn't in the best of form. When he didn't return to the field for the second half against Crystal Palace, it was no surprise.
Right now, Szoboszlai is the safe pair of hands. He is the one who can be trusted with both the defensive and the offensive elements required in the right-back berth.
The Hungarian prefers to be deployed in midfield, and in the long term, that is probably where he still belongs. But right now at full-back, he’s currently invaluable.
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