Liverpool regular publicly castigated by national team coach over one moment in narrow win

Rotterdam – Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch was singled out for rare public criticism by Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman after the Oranje’s come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Norway on Friday night.

Gravenberch, one of four Reds in the Dutch squad alongside Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo and unused substitute Jeremie Frimpong, started in midfield and played 82 minutes. Yet it was his failure to shield right-back Denzel Dumfries that drew Koeman’s ire after Andreas Schjelderup fired Norway into a 24th-minute lead.

Speaking to reporters after the match, the former Everton manager did not mince words: “The moment Teun [Koopmeiners] tracks down the full-back who is making a deep run inside, someone else needs to defend the inside-outside. Ryan [Gravenberch] does nothing there! He needs to get to Denzel earlier. He is over the top there. Those kinds of moments in the penalty area need to improve. A full-back needs help from the inside; we didn’t do that well.”

Despite the rebuke, Gravenberch’s overall numbers were solid. According to Sofascore, he completed 52 of 56 passes (94 percent success rate), both of his attempted dribbles, won five duels, made two tackles and one interception, and was dispossessed only nine times from 76 touches.

The 23-year-old, who missed the last World Cup and did not feature at Euro 2024, is expected to be part of Koeman’s final squad for this summer’s tournament should he avoid injury. While his form has dipped slightly from the heights that prompted Van Dijk to hail him as “in the form of his life” last year, he remains integral to both Liverpool and Netherlands plans heading into the business end of the season.

Gravenberch will hope to respond to Koeman’s challenge by finishing the club campaign strongly and securing a starting role when the global showpiece kicks off in June.