Despite a dispiriting FA Cup loss away at Plymouth Argyle on Sunday, Liverpool’s 2024/25 season could still end in glory.

The Reds have been the best team in Europe overt the first six months of the campaign and it they can continue that over the next three, they’ll be picking up plenty of silverware.

There have been many reasons for Liverpool being as good as they have been under Arne Slot.

But by common consensus, one of the biggest factors has been the form of midfielder Ryan Gravenberch.

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A bit-part player under Jurgen Klopp during his first season at Anfield, Gravenberch has exploded under Slot to become one of the very best midfielders in the world.

And as some new, quite amazing statistics underline that fact, it’s worth pointing out that former Man United manager Erik ten Hag saw all of this coming.

Photo by Geert van Erven/BSR Agency/Getty Images

Ten Hag became something of a figure of fun towards the end of his time in charge at United, especially for Liverpool fans.

The Dutchman was the manager on the receiving end of the Reds’ 7-0 humbling of their great rivals in 2023, after all.

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Nevertheless, Ten Hag was hugely successful in his native Netherlands and was the coach to bring Gravenberch through and give him his debut at Ajax.

Having installed the then 19-year-old as a key cog in his midfield, Ten Hag predicted enormous things ahead of Gravenberch.

READ MORE: Liverpool can get Ryan Gravenberch’s ideal midfield deputy for just £25m this summer

“Ryan is developing well, has become dominant, shapes our attacking game, switches well, but also makes goals,” the coach said via GOAL in 2021.

If he works hard and makes the right choices, Ryan has the potential to become a world star.”

It may have taken Gravenberch a while to get there, but he is now the ‘world star’ Ten Hag predicted.

And as seen in new statistics revealed by Squawka, the 22-year-old has comfortably been the most effective No.6 in the Premier League in 24/25.

“Ryan Gravenberch is the only midfielder to make 40+ tackles and 40+ interceptions in the Premier League this season,” the analysts write on X.

“While Mario Lemina (62.3%) is the only midfielder with a better duel win percentage than the Liverpool man (59.5%) this term (Min 150 contested).”

Although his potential has always clearly been there, it has taken a new coach and a switch in position to truly bring it out of Gravenberch.