Dominik Szoboszlai, a midfielder for Liverpool, was the standout for Hungary on Sunday as he scored twice to lead his team to a 3-1 victory over Montenegro at the Puskas Arena.

Prior to the match against Montenegro in Budapest, the Hungarians had already qualified for Germany the following summer. Szoboszlai’s outstanding brace, which included an opener in which he skillfully got past the visiting defense, gained a 3-1 victory for the team.

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The 23-year-old was spotted with supporters in the post-game throng. He toasted the victory and his performance with a shot of traditional Hungarian palinka, seemed to enjoy it despite winking soon after.

Since joining the Reds for £60 million in the summer from RB Leipzig, Szoboszlai has performed exceptionally well in midfield and has translated that form into the international scene with Hungary. In fact, his most recent performance will be sufficient to give supporters in his native country hope that they can have an influence at Euro 2024.

His Sunday’s first goal truly stood out. In the second half, he took the ball wide out on the right flank and ducked under two defenders to get into the area. After dodging past two more defenders, he scored the equalizer by curling a shot across goal and into the bottom corner. He would promptly fire his second goal into the upper corner from the left, and Adam Nagy would add the finishing touch in injury time.

Szoboszlai has now made 38 appearances for his country, tallying 10 goals. And he’s become a key player for both the club and the nation, with passionate Reds supporters likening him to Steven Gerrard.

The last set of circumstances would have thrilled Jurgen Klopp. Liverpool and Manchester City will play at lunchtime on Saturday. There is only one point separating Champions City and the other team in the Premier League standings.

The German manager will also benefit from Alexis Mac Allister’s return from suspension and the approaching injury returns of Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch. However, Pep Guardiola, the manager of City, has to wait nervously for the well-being of a few key players.

Erling Haaland sustained an injury while representing Norway internationally, and Nathan Ake withdrew from his game against Holland. John Stones and Kevin De Bruyne, for instance, have already been removed.