National paper delivers damning rating to Liverpool defender after difficult night
Liverpool’s £40 million summer signing Milos Kerkez has come under fire again in his homeland, receiving one of the lowest ratings in Hungary’s 2–2 draw with Portugal, as reported by Nemzeti Sport.
Kerkez criticised after mixed display against Portugal
The Hungarian outlet handed the 21-year-old a joint-lowest score of 5/10, describing a performance that was “confused” and “not really working” despite his improved effort after the break.
“He did not take much forwards, if he accompanied the attack along the line and received the ball, he mostly passed it backwards,” the report stated.
“Only 73 percent of his passes went to the right place until the break.
“Before the first Portuguese goal he was not offside because of him, he stepped back too much before the pass, before the second home goal he also seemed confused, then he stepped out and they scored from his position.”
Kerkez’s defensive lapses contributed to both of Portugal’s goals, and while he became more active later in the match, the outlet made clear that the game “did not really work for him.”
That low score echoes his struggles from the last international break, when out of 7,830 reader votes, the left-back averaged just 4.51 out of 10 – the lowest of any Hungarian player.
Szoboszlai praised as Kerkez struggles
In contrast, captain Dominik Szoboszlai was once again among Hungary’s standout performers, earning a 7/10 rating.
The national skipper assisted Attila Szalai’s opener and scored a dramatic equaliser late on, underlining his leadership on and off the pitch.
“He really wanted it now, and ran a lot like a true leader,” the report added. “Fifty ball touches, ninety percent pass accuracy, and in the end, a goal worth a point.”
The contrast between our No.8 and his international teammate will raise questions about how quickly Kerkez can adapt to life at Anfield.
Gary Neville’s comments after our 2–1 defeat to Chelsea still feel relevant, when he said the young defender “looked like a youth player out there” and was struggling to “understand the pace of the Premier League.”
Liverpool have invested heavily this summer, with other new signings Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Alexander Isak taking time to settle.
That puts additional pressure on Kerkez to find his rhythm quickly and match the intensity levels set by players like Szoboszlai.
Arne Slot continues to shape the new-look team in his second season, Kerkez’s progress will be one of the key storylines to follow when international duty ends and the Premier League resumes.
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