Dominik Szoboszlai hails ‘family’ connection inspiring Liverpool midfield partnership

Dominik Szoboszlai has said he loves to play with Alexis Mac Allister and believes they have an instinctive understanding that means they don’t have to talk to know what each other is doing. The Hungarian and the Argentinian midfielders were Liverpool ’s goalscorers in their 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday. But whereas Szoboszlai signed a new five-year deal in the summer, Mac Allister plunged his future into doubt by revealing Liverpool had told him there were not in a position to give him a new deal . And Szoboszlai said: “I love to play with Macca. We know each other, without actually talking when you look at someone and he knows what you want to do and I know exactly what he wants to do – I think that helps the team as well. It’s the manager’s decision who will play the next games and I think everyone is ready to compete with each other but we have to become a family.” Szoboszlai hopes they can be a successful partnership in the long term, adding: “We can, we can. The guys play who the manager puts in at the end of the day.” Szoboszlai welcomed Bradley Barcola’s performance on his first start for Liverpool since his move from Paris Saint-Germain, which could be worth up to £123m. Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister celebrates scoring against Atletico Madrid (Reuters) “He is a great player, he showed it in Paris,” he said. “We need everybody with these qualities. He got tired a little bit, which is normal because he defends and gives everything what we need.” Szoboszlai has been appointed one of Liverpool’s vice-captains for this season, along with the long-serving pair of goalkeeper Alisson and defender Joe Gomez , and he hopes to show more leadership qualities. He added: “It was a nice feeling, a proud moment for me, even though we have three vice-captains there were not so many vice-captains in [the history of] Liverpool FC so I take that, I take the responsibility for that as well. I’m trying to show it on the pitch every time, off the pitch as well, trying to become even more a leader after last season. That’s my plan for the upcoming years.”