Ryan Gravenberch showed what a good midfielder he can become for Liverpool after a dazzling win over Fulham… despite a difficult first year, the Dutchman can have a big future at Anfield, writes LEWIS STEELE

Liverpool saw something in Ryan Gravenberch that Bayern Munich did not. Having followed the Dutchman for several seasons, before his failed spell in Bavaria, the Reds knew he could be a vital member of their midfield.

Unfortunately for Liverpool fans, they didn’t really understand why the recruitment team thought he would be a star player. Apart from a few glimpses here and there, the first year in England was difficult for Gravenberch.

But Sunday’s performance against Fulham showed an example of what a great midfielder he can become – and he could already be if given the chance to shine. He scored an important goal, Liverpool’s first from open play after four games without one, with a curling side-footed finish.

Apart from that, the 21-year-old put in a solid performance, perhaps his best in a Championship match for the Reds. He had some shaky touches to start and looked a yard off the pace, but grew in confidence and began to dictate proceedings from midfield.

Gravenberch appeared in dangerous pockets – a number 8 on the team sheet but his touch card showed he was a very active midfielder with positive moments all over the pitch – and he made a solid defensive shift out of the ball.

The 21-year-old produced a superb finish to give the Reds the lead in the second half on Sunday.

It’s not a huge affront to say that he hasn’t performed as well as he might have liked in his first season on Merseyside. Some of the best midfielders in the league, like Bernardo Silva or Martin Odegaard, had slow starts in their first seasons at Manchester City and Arsenal respectively.

But with his 34th appearance for Liverpool, Gravenberch has now equaled the number of matches he played for Bayern Munich over two seasons in which he could barely make an impression under multiple managers after leaving Ajax as a teenager .

In an interview earlier this season, the midfielder said he admires the great Zinedine Zidane and that while direct comparisons to the Real Madrid and France legend would be a stretch, Gravenberch glides around the pitch in a ballet style that few can match.

The £34.3million summer signing was also at somewhat of a disadvantage due to the fact he did not spend pre-season with Liverpool and only joined the club on deadline day, with Bayern keen to buy a replacement before sanctioning his exit.

But that performance gave Reds fans hope that he could play an important role in the new-look team under a new manager when Jurgen Klopp leaves this summer. His first Premier League goal was only his fourth for the club and more involvement in the penalty area will be desired.

His strike, assisted by Harvey Elliott, was the first time Liverpool had scored a Premier League goal both scored and assisted by players aged 21 or under since November 2014 against Chelsea (Emre Can assisted by Raheem Sterling). This shows the depth of young talent the team has.

Cody Gakpo also had his best performance in some time against the Cottagers.

Gravenberch’s performance was just one of the highlights of a much-improved overall team, more patient and clinical than the draw against Manchester United, the defeat against Crystal Palace and the disappointing Europa League exit to Atalanta.

Cody Gakpo also had his best outing in some time and continually caused Fulham defensive problems, while full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson were not far from their best after both missing the last few matches due to injury.

But Gravenberch showed he could be the Flying Dutchman Liverpool fans were hoping to buy this summer. With a dose of Dutch courage – or, in footballing terms, getting a vote of confidence by making a streak in the XI – the 21-year-old can have a big future at Anfield.