Arne Slot proven right once more about $47m Liverpool gem as 'special talent' shines again

It looked like it against AC Milan and that was only further underlined against Bournemouth at Anfield when the Premier League resumed: Liverpool's defeat to Nottingham Forest was seemingly a one-off. Arne Slot will certainly hope so.

Almost as soon as Bournemouth had kicked off following Luis Diaz's first goal, the Colombian had scored a second. That makes it five goals in five matches in the top flight for Liverpool's number seven at the start of the season, with it appearing as if he has found that ruthless streak.

Darwin Nunez's brilliant strike into the far corner was another key moment in a match full of positives. Even the second-half lull with the points already wrapped up was a sign of how comfortable things were for Liverpool after the first 45 minutes.

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While Diaz and Nunez will rightly get the headlines, though, there was another Liverpool player who quietly impressed. Ryan Gravenberch started slowly but he soon got into his stride. By the end, he had covered every blade of grass.

"I wouldn’t say I was surprised," Slot had said in the build-up to the game when quizzed by reporters on Gravenberch's early season form. "I saw him playing at Ajax when he came up into the first team and everybody saw back then what a special talent he was.

"And probably for that reason he went to two amazing clubs, Bayern Munich and Liverpool. You can only go to these clubs if they see you have a lot of quality.

"That helps your confidence if things go well and it’s what you see at the moment — you see a Ryan who is full of confidence and that comes normally with good performances and trusting your teammates and knowing that you can do what you have to at that level."

Even when a few early passes went astray, Gravenberch wasn't knocked out of his rhythm. He ended the match arguably the most impressive player in home colors overall, even if the goalscorers will take more praise.

He completed 88 per cent of his passes and made nine ball recoveries. Most impressive, though, were the $47m (£35m/€42m) man's drives forward in possession to break lines and create opportunities for those in front of him. Liverpool missed that last week against Nottingham Forest but there was at least more movement in the final third and more gaps in the Bournemouth midfield to take advantage of.

With Gravenberch afforded more space, it is no surprise that Liverpool was able to generate more chances. With every passing game, the case for the Reds having found another gem grows.