'You can smash it at him': Alan Pardew names the former Man United player Ryan Gravenberch reminds him of
12/30/2024 09:00 AM
Liverpool enjoyed another excellent outing on Sunday, thumping five goals past West Ham.
The win moved the Reds eight points clear at the top of the Premier League and rounded off what has been a very good 2024 in style.
One player who has enjoyed a renaissance during this calendar year has been Ryan Gravenberch.
Gravenberch played just 57 minutes of Sunday’s win at West Ham, with Arne Slot protecting him from a potential yellow card and a suspension against Man United next weekend.
But that was still time to see what an important player the Dutchman has become within the Liverpool squad. Gravenberch picked up an assist and generally ran the show against the Hammers.
And as the 22-year-old closes in on his first full year as a Liverpool player, former West Ham boss Alan Pardew has made an interesting comparison with a former Man United midfielder.
Ryan Gravenberch compared to Michael Carrick
If it had not been for the brilliance of Mohamed Salah, Gravenberch would have had a real shot at being Liverpool’s player of the season so far.
Nevertheless, Gravenberch has earned plenty of plaudits for the way he has stepped up and nailed down a permanent starting spot in Slot’s Liverpool XI.
The former Ajax youngster is something of a complete midfielder. His rangy frame means he can easily glide away from opponents, but he also has real quality in the pass and is surprisingly combative, too.
Mix all of these ingredients together, and according to Pardew, you get a player who resembles Man United legend Michael Carrick.
READ MORE: Three Liverpool players who are looking so much better under Arne Slot than Jurgen Klopp
“Gravenberch, the central midfield player, he has been a revelation this year,” the former manager told TalkSPORT.
“He’s played almost every game, he’s so sound with the ball. He reminds me of Michael Carrick, absolutely sound with the ball, you can smash it at him and he kills it straight away, turns and gets them playing.”
Gravenberch still at risk of suspension
Gravenberch has been walking a tight-rope for the past few games and it’s credit to the No.38 that he has managed to avoid a booking during that time.
Having picked up a yellow card against Newcastle earlier this month, the Netherlands international has spent the last three Premier League matches attempting to avoid getting another.
Thankfully, Gravenberch has managed to stay away from any cautions and will now be available for Liverpool’s big game against Man United next Sunday.
However, because Liverpool have only played 18 matches, Gravenberch will still miss the following game if he picks up a booking against United. If that happens, the Dutchman will be out of the important trip to face Nottingham Forest.
According to premierleague.com, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and – should he be fit to play – Ibrahima Konate will also need to avoid a yellow against United. The card count will then reset following the United clash.
