Gravenberch explains response to mid-season issue - 'It was difficult for me'

Ryan Gravenberch has been one of Liverpool's best players this season and a huge part of their Premier League title triumph, but his performances were so good that he believes teams started to target him - forcing Liverpool to switch up their tactics to adapt

Ryan Gravenberch knew he was being targeted more in the second half of the season by opposition players. That was the biggest compliment he could get for his performances in his new No 6 role this term for Liverpool.

But it may also be a warning of what is to come next season for the Reds now they will be the ones to beat as defending champions. Gravenberch, 23, was a bit-part player in his first season at the club under Jurgen Klopp after joining from Bayern Munich in 2023.

But after failing to land Martin Zubimendi last summer, new boss Arne Slot put his faith in his fellow Dutchman to play the holding midfield role and shift slightly further back than where he had played before.

It was a revelation and one of the key components to Liverpool winning the title at a canter but Gravenberch has already felt how opponents are changing their focus.

He said: "That was exactly the thing. Everything was also new for the opponents. Afterwards they knew how we played and then we had to try to find solutions.

"In the first half of the season everything went a little bit through me. After, for example, they target me but then the other midfielders become free so then pass to them and then to me. It was a little bit difficult also for me because you don't then get the ball as much as other team-mates get it instead.

"Also for us, we can improve in our playing style, maybe at the end a little bit too static, and also in the midfield we can change, for example if I play with [Alexis] Mac Allister, he can come on my position and I go higher, so that would be difficult to press us, and I think that's a really good part that we can improve on."

Yet that is all for next season. The focus is on tomorrow’s latest celebration when the Reds get their hands on the Premier League trophy for the first time since 2020. It will also be the first time in front of fans for the first time since 1990 due to the Covid pandemic five years ago.

Gravenberch is excited thanks to Virgil van Dijk showing him the scenes of the 2019 parade following their Champions League triumph.

"I saw some clips from Virg when they had the parade for the Champions League," he said. "And there were so many people, so I'm so excited about what's happening now."

But he also has his own ambition against Crystal Palace tomorrow in the 90 minutes. That’s to get his first goal of the season. The deeper role means he hasn’t had such a big affect in the final third this term. And despite his brilliance in his position, it is still something he wants to change tomorrow.

"I had a conversation with Dominic [Szoboszlai] the other day before we played against Brighton," he said. "We were in the warm-up, you know, and I had some good finishes. He said, I have a feeling you will score today. I said, hopefully I have to score one today. So hopefully against Crystal Palace I can score."

When asked if he might get on free-kick duty, he said: "Hopefully, maybe a penalty." Good luck getting the ball off Mo Salah, though.

Ryan Gravenberch was speaking as an ambassador of the Cruyff Foundation at the opening of a Cruyff Court in Anfield.