The primary chunk Liverpool’s season is completed and dusted, however which Reds gamers have stood out because the star males in 2023/24 so far?
Jurgen Klopp‘s facet might have had the odd speedbump within the highway, such because the current draw at Luton, nevertheless it has undoubtedly been a wonderful begin to the marketing campaign.
Liverpool are second within the Premier League after 12 matches, and just one level adrift of leaders Man Metropolis, with the ultimate worldwide break now getting in the way in which.
As soon as Klopp and his gamers reconvene subsequent week, a relentless run of fixtures begin, with wall-to-wall home motion till spring, plus the ultimate two Europa League group video games.
The query is: who’ve been Liverpool’s 5 greatest gamers to this point in 2023/24?
Right here’s what we expect…
5. Darwin Nunez
Appearances: 17
Targets: 7
Assists: 5
After a hit-and-miss first season in a Liverpool shirt – one which noticed a scandalous quantity of harsh criticism come his manner – Darwin Nunez has gone up a gear.
There are nonetheless unfathomable moments thrown in, such because the sitters towards Luton and Toulouse, however there was a lot to admire about his performances.
Maybe the facet of Nunez’s play that has stood out probably the most is his link-up with Mohamed Salah, with the Uruguayan aiding his teammate 4 instances within the Premier League this season.
Not solely that, however they’ve created probably the most possibilities between them within the division (19), in response to Opta, and Nunez has seven objectives to his identify, in all competitions.
The 24-year-old isn’t excellent and might nonetheless enhance his all-round sport, however he hardly ever feels out of the motion and is adored by Liverpool followers.
He’s solely on track and has proved to be one of many Reds’ greatest early performers.
4. Dominik Szoboszlai
Appearances: 17
Targets: 2
Assists: 2
Bear in mind when Liverpool have been going to signal Mason Mount and there had barely been any hyperlinks surrounding a transfer for Dominik Szoboszlai?
As a substitute, the latter got here in from RB Leipzig, and he has loved among the best begins to a Reds profession by a midfielder since Xabi Alonso in 2004.
Szoboszlai has been colossal in the course of the park, combining elite technical skill with an astonishing engine – he’s Liverpool’s quickest recorded participant this season – and he has two objectives and assists apiece to his identify.
Throw in a Steven Gerrard-esque shot, nice management and the truth that he appears extra sturdy than so many Reds midfielders from current years, and you’ve got a whole footballer.
He has solely simply turned 23, too, and the longer term couldn’t be brighter for him.
3. Mohamed Salah
Appearances: 17
Targets: 12
Assists: 4
When Al-Ittihad got here in with a £150 million bid for Salah in the summertime, there have been some who felt Liverpool ought to contemplate accepting it.
It felt nonsencial on the time, and because the Egyptian King has proven within the months since, he stays as vital as ever to this Reds group.
Granted, a few of Salah’s all-round performances might have been just a little patchy at instances, however his finish product and work ethic haven’t slowed up, and he’s nonetheless among the best attackers on the planet.
Twelve objectives in 17 appearances is often medical, and towards Brentford, the 31-year-old grew to become the first-ever Liverpool participant to attain in all the Reds’s first six league video games in a season.
Rumours of Salah leaving will solely begin up once more in January and subsequent summer season – it’s simple to envisage him transferring on on the finish of the marketing campaign – however he nonetheless has sufficient within the tank to be priceless for a number of extra years.
Is he now one in all Liverpool’s three best gamers of all time, alongside Sir Kenny Dalglish and Steven Gerrard?
2. Virgil van Dijk
Appearances: 11
Targets: 0
Assists: 2
By his freakish requirements, Virgil van Dijk was below-par final season, trying like a mere mortal as an alternative of the very best centre-back we’ve ever seen.
The Dutchman has been phenomenal in 2023/24, nevertheless, strutting into it as Liverpool’s new captain and looking out revitalised by having a brand new midfield in entrance of him.
Barring the crimson card at Newcastle, which was harsh however clumsy, Van Dijk has been near-perfect, and is arguably again to being the very best on the planet in his place.
Up to now this season, the 32-year-old hasn’t been dribbled previous as soon as within the league – that stat feels prefer it was invented by him! – and he has additionally accomplished 91.7 % of his passes.
Furthermore, solely Nottingham Forest‘s Scott McKenna (87 %) has a better aerial duel win fee proportion than Van Dijk (82.3 %), however the former has solely began 5 league video games.
The Liverpool legend seems pretty much as good as ever, making his job look easy as soon as extra, and rumours of his demise have been drastically exaggerated.
1. Alisson
Appearances: 13
Clear sheets: 5
If Van Dijk is the very best centre-back on the planet, Alisson is actually the main goalkeeper within the sport, and has been for a while.
He might not at all times have been as closely concerned as the opposite names on this listing, resulting from Liverpool’s dominance in video games, however he continues to bail them out with outstanding consistency.
Alisson‘s best power is making all the pieces look really easy, however it’s only his world-class positional sense, velocity of toes and studying of play that make him so immaculate.
How typically does he make a save for the cameras?
Alisson has the best save proportion (78.7 %) of all of the goalkeepers within the Premier League, and he’s nonetheless the participant whose absence would damage Liverpool probably the most, together with his one-on-one-ability significantly unrivalled.
He’s a rare footballer, and among the best to have ever performed in objective for any group.
Liverpool shouldn’t be able whereby Alisson must be thought-about the very best performer, however it’s a title he has rightly earned.
