Despite making steady progress in the Champions League, Liverpool’s lacklustre performances have been highlighted by their meek exit from the Carabao Cup and a string of Premier League defeats under Arne Slot. Many players have struggled to perform at their best due to various reasons, including new signings finding it challenging to adapt to their new roles and methods.
Liverpool writers at the Echo have assessed Liverpool’s squad throughout the 18 games they’ve played this season across all competitions, giving them a score out of 10 for every appearance lasting at least 15 minutes. Dominik Szoboszlai, with an average rating of 7.25, remains the standout player of the season, as evidenced by his exceptional performances last week against Aston Villa and Real Madrid.
Alisson, with a rating of 6.78, was performing well until he was sidelined with a hamstring injury but could return after the current international break. The absence of Ryan Gravenberch (6.59) in midfield was keenly felt before his recent comeback.
Curtis Jones (6.50) has proven reliable when called upon and may deserve more starting opportunities.
Giorgi Mamardashvili (6.44) has shown himself to be a dependable replacement for the injured Alisson, while Federico Chiesa (6.40) has performed adequately when needed, although his impact has waned recently.
Virgil van Dijk (6.38) may not be at his peak, but he remains Liverpool’s top-performing defender this season, while Hugo Ekitike (6.38) began the campaign strongly but has faltered in recent matches.
Andy Robertson (6.36) and Conor Bradley (6.21) have proven to be the most reliable on the left and right side of defence respectively, despite a few disappointing performances.
Cody Gakpo (6.19) has been consistent rather than outstanding, scoring the occasional goal and hoping to reclaim his position on the left wing after being overlooked in favour of Florian Wirtz (6.13), who has performed better in the number 10 role than some might suggest.
Room for improvement
Mohamed Salah (5.94) saw a significant dip in form in October, but improved performances against Villa and Real Madrid indicate he is bouncing back.
Alexis Mac Allister (5.82) is also showing signs of recovery, nearing full fitness after a disrupted pre-season and now able to contribute more effectively in games.
Ibrahima Konate’s (5.69) form has been inconsistent, with his performance at Manchester City on Sunday marking one of four occasions where he has scored below five.
Alexander Isak (5.63), however, has become a worry due to his apparent lack of synergy with team-mates when on the pitch, while Milos Kerkez (5.29) has only shown fleeting signs of why he was signed for £40million from Bournemouth during a very disappointing start to his Anfield career.
Among those who haven’t played enough matches this season to be included in the rankings, Rio Ngumoha (6.80) scores highly based on top marks for his winning goal at Newcastle. That Jeremie Frimpong (5.71) doesn’t rank speaks volumes about his injury issues, Joe Gomez (6.20) probably deserves more game time and Wataru Endo (5.80) hasn’t really had the opportunity to make an impact.