Liverpool have enjoyed a phenomenal Premier League season to date, but which player has earned the highest average rating in 2019/20?
Suspension has stalled the Reds’ march towards a first league title since 1990, but the hope is that they will be crowned champions later in the year.
Jurgen Klopp‘s men have dropped just five points in 29 matches, with their 25-point lead over Man City further highlighting how dominant they have been.
Every squad player has chipped in at one time or another throughout the campaign, putting in formidable individual performances in the process.
We have averaged out our ratings for every player in the league in 2019/20—here are the results ranked from best to worst, from the 16 individuals who have made over five starts.
(NB: Ratings are judged on starts, not substitute appearances, unless they came off the bench before/at half-time)
16. Dejan Lovren
Starts: 9
Average Rating: 6.25
Bottom of the pile of players to have made more than five starts is Lovren—sadly, it feels rather predictable.
The Croatian has had the odd good day at the office, most notably in the 3-1 win over Man City at Anfield (8/10), but his disastrous showing at Watford last month (4/10) summed up his struggles.
15. Adrian
Starts: 9
Average Rating: 6.44
Adrian‘s Liverpool career may have started with UEFA Super Cup glory, but it looks as though it could end with him being the villain against Atletico Madrid.
Away from European action, the Spaniard managed nine league starts in Alisson‘s absence—he won every game—with his highest rating coming at Chelsea in late September (8/10).
14. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Starts: 13
Average Rating: 6.84
Oxlade-Chamberlain has showed signs of making a full recovery from his injuries in the last few weeks, playing particularly well in the Champions League defeat to Atletico.
In the league, the 26-year-old has been solid more than anything, although an influential goalscoring display at home to former club Southampton (9/10) caught the eye.
13. Gini Wijnaldum
Starts: 28
Average Rating: 6.89
This has been another typically steady, reliable season from Gini, who has made the second-most starts for Liverpool in the league.
That has to be taken into account when assessing his rating, considering more appearances will naturally make a high rating tougher to achieve.
Wijnaldum has been far more important than both Joel Matip and James Milner, for example.
12. Andy Robertson
Starts: 27
Average Rating: 6.92
Robertson hasn’t always hit the heights of last season, despite still being an extremely reliable performer.
Seven-out-of-10s have been the order of the day, but his nine-out-of-10 away to Leicester was a near-perfect performance from the full-back.
11. Roberto Firmino
Starts: 27
Average Rating: 7.03
A little like Robertson, while there is no denying Firmino’s importance to Liverpool he hasn’t always managed to find the consistency of others this season.
A low point was a four-out-of-10 showing away to Man United, but a run of five eights in row in January and February—Wolves, West Ham, Southampton, Norwich and West Ham (again)—is highly impressive.
10. Fabinho
Starts: 15
Average Rating: 7.06
If these average ratings had been recorded back in November, there is every chance Fabinho would have been among the highest-ranked individuals.
The towering Brazilian only got one rating less than a seven in the league all the way up until Man United away in October, but his form has dipped significantly since a return from injury in January.
His last two starts, against Watford and Bournemouth, saw him get a four and five.
9. Alisson
Starts: 20
Average Rating: 7.2
If anything, Alisson deserves to be higher on this list, especially with Adrian showing recently why the Brazilian is so priceless to this Liverpool team.
The 27-year-old has received three nine-out-of-10 ratings in his 20 starts, one of which came at Norwich, with his world-class expertise on show.
8. Trent Alexander-Arnold
Starts: 28
Average Rating: 7.21
At times, few players in the Premier League have been more influential than Trent this season—in truth, his rating doesn’t reflect how good he has been.
The youngster earned a perfect 10 away to Leicester on Boxing Day—considering he scored and assisted twice, also keeping a clean sheet, it was richly deserved.
7. Jordan Henderson
Starts: 22
Average Rating: 7.22
Henderson has enjoyed the best season of his career, finding a consistency not always seen before.
The Liverpool skipper got at least a seven-out-of-10 rating in every game in the league up until the narrow win at Sheffield United in late September, dispelling the myth that he started the campaign poorly.
6. Mohamed Salah
Starts: 26
Average Rating: 7.23
Salah leads Liverpool’s Premier League scoring charts with 16 goals, once again proving lethal in the final third.
A two-goal masterclass at home to Arsenal early in the season caught the eye, in particular, but he was also scintillating in the season opener against Norwich at Anfield.
5. James Milner
Starts: 7
Average Rating: 7.25
It shouldn’t be ignored that Milner has only started seven times in the league this season, but his importance to the cause has still been undeniable.
His last two league starts, at home to Southampton (9/10) and Bournemouth (8/10), have possibly been the veteran’s best displays of 2019/20.
4. Joe Gomez
Starts: 19
Average Rating: 7.35
Joe Gomez made the most of Joel Matip‘s absence through injury, enjoying arguably his best run in a Liverpool shirt to date.
The 22-year-old didn’t excel immediately after returning to the team, but he earned a minimum of an eight-out-of-10 in consecutive league games against Watford, Leicester, Wolves and Sheffield United over Christmas.
3. Joel Matip
Starts: 7
Average Rating: 7.42
It is easy to forget how good Matip was before injury curtailed his campaign—his winning of the bronze medal here is testament to that.
Nine-out-of-10s in high-profile clashes with Arsenal and Chelsea outlined his importance early on, as he powered home a header against the Gunners.
Like Milner, it should be noted that the Cameroonian has only managed seven starts, however, which does cloud his rating somewhat.
2. Virgil van Dijk
Starts: 29
Average Rating: 7.44
Van Dijk has enjoyed another imperious season for the Reds, with his consistency highlighted by his second-placed ranking.
He held Liverpool’s defence together in both matches against Sheffield United, receiving a nine for his efforts home and away.
1. Sadio Mane
Starts: 24
Average Rating: 7.47
Quite fittingly, Mane takes the highest average so far this season, having put together a magnificent campaign full of influential performances.
Three nine-out-of-10 ratings stand out, away to Southampton and at home to Newcastle and Everton.
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