Arne Slot likens Ryan Gravenberch to Arsenal star but dismisses comparisons to title winner

Arne Slot has compared Ryan Gravenberch to Arsenal star Declan Rice following his superb start to the season.

Gravenberch has enjoyed a brilliant couple of months since Slot took over from Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. After a mixed first campaign at Anfield, the midfielder has arguably been the Reds’ standout player so far this season.

The 22-year-old’s performances have earned him plenty of rave reviews from pundits, with former Tottenham and Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood likening him to Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira .

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Although his own boss didn’t quite go so far as to compare him to any title winners, Slot does feel there are similarities with one of the Gunners’ current stars. Reflecting on Gravenberch’s upturn in form with Sky Sports , the Liverpool boss admitted to being left surprised by the former Ajax star.

“He is very comfortable with the ball, and I think that's what everybody saw, but not every manager,” Slot said. “So, it's a bit of a choice. You can bring a No.6 in that's only really good without the ball - hard tackles and sliding - which every fan loves, and a lot of pundits love as well.

"Or you look more at what can he bring for us if we have the ball, and I think he can help us a lot with the ball. And he has a good tackle, but he's not a... Where would you compare him? He's not an N'Golo Kante, he's a Declan Rice, whatever you want to come up with. But he is a very good runner, so he has long legs, he can keep on running, closing down lines. Is that the way to say it?

"So, he is not the typical No.6 that is making sliding tackles of three or four or five meters, which a lot of fans also like to see. But if you play in a possession-based team, which he does, it's a lot about keeping the ball, making the right decisions if you have the ball, and bringing the ball from the last line towards the forwards. It's just a bit of how you look at a player.

"But in the end, he also surprised me, not how comfortable he is with the ball, but also how trustable he is without the ball. And I think that is something he picked up really fast, or which was maybe already inside of him, but people and me never saw before."

Liverpool.com says: Gravenberch has been a revelation this season, although his real test begins now as the games get tougher. If he can maintain those same levels against the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal, maybe we can start looking at those comparisons to Vieira and Kante a bit more seriously.