Predicting Liverpool’s 2019/20 season – Top scorer, player of year, best signing & more

Liverpool’s opening game of the Premier League is almost upon us, so what better way to get in the mood than read our writers’ Reds predictions for 2019/20!

After a relatively quiet summer spent basking in European glory, Jurgen Klopp‘s side are ready to embark on another campaign.

Liverpool missed out on the league title in agonising fashion in 2018/19, but they look primed to push Man City all the way again.

Ahead of what is hopefully another memorable season, we asked This Is Anfield’s writers for their predictions for the Reds over the next nine months.

Who do you agree with?

 

Matt Ladson

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - Wednesday, July 31, 2019: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Olympique Lyonnais at Stade de Genève. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Predicted finish: 2nd

Top Goalscorer: Mohamed Salah

Player of the Year: Roberto Firmino

Best New Signing: Err… Alex ‘new signing’ Oxlade-Chamberlain?

Flop of the Season: Adam Lallana

Best XI: Alisson; Trent, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Keita; Salah, Mane, Firmino

This season I’d be happy with… the title. Or at least another good go at it. A domestic cup would be nice either way.


Jack Lusby

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA - Wednesday, July 24, 2019: Liverpool's Divock Origi (#27) celebrates scoring the first eqalising goal with team-mate Fabio Henrique Tavares 'Fabinho' during a friendly match between Liverpool FC and Sporting Clube de Portugal at the Yankee Stadium on day nine of the club's pre-season tour of America. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Predicted finish: 2nd

Top Goalscorer: Mohamed Salah

Player of the Year: Fabinho

Best New Signing: Err, Harvey Elliott

Flop of the Season: Not sure this is fair with the current squad, but I’m not convinced with Divock Origi as primary stand-in for the attack.

Best XI: Alisson; Trent, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Keita; Salah, Mane, Firmino

This season I’d be happy with… the same as last season, but going one better in the league. Of course!


Henry Jackson

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - Wednesday, July 31, 2019: Liverpool's Harvey Elliott during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Olympique Lyonnais at Stade de Genève. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Predicted finish: 2nd

Top Goalscorer: Mo Salah

Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk

Best New Signing: Harvey Elliott

Flop of the Season: Divock Origi. I love him for what he did last season, but he still isn’t good enough.

Best XI: Alisson; Trent, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Keita; Salah, Mane, Firmino

This season I’d be happy with… another big push for the Premier League title and the Champions League—if Liverpool don’t win either, then a domestic cup please.


Karl Matchett

Predicted finish: 2nd

Top Goalscorer: Salah. 30+ goals in all competitions.

Player of the Year: Fabinho

Best New Signing: Harvey Elliott

Flop of the Season: Adam Lallana as a No. 6.

Best XI: Alisson; Trent, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Keita; Salah, Mane, Firmino

This season I’d be happy with… more silverware. We’ve got six to go for, so if we land two (one major, one minor) I’d take that as a very good year.

If the major one isn’t the Premier League, though, we’d need to still be within four or five points to count that as good.

I’d really like us to win the FA Cup—we should have more of those.


Joanna Durkan

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 12, 2018: Liverpool's Sadio Mane celebrates scoring the third goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and West Ham United FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Predicted finish: 2nd—I’m saying this as I do not want to tempt fate…

Top Goalscorer: Mo Salah

Player of the Year: Sadio Mane

Best New Signing: Unfortunately, there are only three to choose from but it’d have to be Harvey Elliott.

The kid looks like he is not short on confidence and has some real potential. He could get a chance early in cup competitions.

Flop of the Season: Adam Lallana. I don’t see him staying fit.

Best XI: Alisson; Trent, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Henderson; Salah, Mane, Firmino

This season I’d be happy with… another Premier League title challenge (albeit with a better ending this time round). It has to be a priority this season.

I think we will go far in Europe once more, but overall, at least one piece of silverware needs to be added to the cabinet.


Chris Williams

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - Wednesday, July 31, 2019: Liverpool's Naby Keita during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Olympique Lyonnais at Stade de Genève. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Predicted finish: 2nd

Top Goalscorer: Mohamed Salah

Player of the Year: Naby Keita

Best New Signing: Harvey Elliott

Flop of the Season: Wouldn’t wish this on anyone.

Best XI: Alisson; Trent, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Keita, Henderson; Salah, Mane, Firmino

This season I’d be happy with… another good showing in the league—I think Man City will just pip us to the title again.

I worry about our fixture congestion with this competition in Qatar, but we’ll be Club World Cup champions, so another badge for the shirt to make us unbearable.

The FA Cup or the League Cup would be nice for the day out at Wembley, but another appearance in the Champions League final wouldn’t be a realistic goal for me.


James Nalton

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - Wednesday, July 31, 2019: Liverpool's Roberto Firmino celebrates scoring the first equalising goal during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Olympique Lyonnais at Stade de Genève. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Predicted finish: 2nd

Top Goalscorer: Mohamed Salah

Player of the Year: Roberto Firmino

Best New Signing: Alexander Mark David Oxlade-like-a-new-signing-Chamberlain

Flop of the Season: None really. Maybe Divock Origi if he’s relied upon too much. I hope he can deliver, but I’m not sure he can on a regular basis.

Best XI: Alisson; Trent, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Keita; Salah, Mane, Firmino

This season I’d be happy with… title race, FA Cup win, another European adventure and a Club World Cup win.

It would also be great if this experiment of not signing players for the first team works and some academy players can prove their worth to the senior squad.

At the moment it seems like a risk, though.


Ben Twelves

BRADFORD, ENGLAND - Saturday, July 13, 2019: Liverpool's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain takes over the number 15 shirt from Daniel Sturridge during a pre-season friendly match between Bradford City AFC and Liverpool FC at Valley Parade. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Predicted finish: 2nd

Top Goalscorer: Mohamed Salah

Player of the Year: Fabinho

Best New Signing: I don’t think we’ll see much of the new youngsters, so for that reason I’ll follow Klopp’s line and say Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

He will be ‘like a new signing’ with what he will bring to midfield once he is up and running.

Flop of the Season: *Puts tin hat on* Divock Origi. Undoubtedly a Liverpool legend but can see him underwhelming once the hype wears off.

Best XI: Alisson; Trent, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Keita, Wijnaldum; Salah, Mane, Firmino

This season I’d be happy with… serious challenges again to win the title and to retain the Champions League.

Would really like to win the Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup, too.

* Click here to see how right or wrong we predicted things a year ago!