Liverpool sealed immortality in 2019/20, finally winning the Premier League title. But what was each player’s standout contribution to the season?
Last August, the Reds went into the new campaign as Champions League holders, but the holy grail of a league title had evaded them once more.
What we have witnessed in the 11 months since has been truly remarkable, with 99 points amassed and a worldwide pandemic halting Liverpool’s title charge for nearly three months.
Jurgen Klopp and his players have gained legendary status forever, with so many individuals coming up with the goods at different times.
Here’s what we think was each Liverpool player’s best moment of 2019/20.
(NB: Excludes those to have made fewer than 10 appearances in all competitions, which rules out the likes of Harvey Elliott, Caoimhin Kelleher and Andy Lonergan.)
Alisson
Alisson‘s assist against Man United was a standout moment of the entire campaign, as he fired an inch-perfect pass to the onrushing Mohamed Salah.
The Brazilian then raced the full length of the pitch for good measure, producing a world-class knee slide as he celebrated with his team-mate.
Adrian
Adrian has had an up-and-down first season at Liverpool, but he contributed greatly in the UEFA Super Cup.
The Spaniard saved Tammy Abraham’s must-score penalty in the shootout win over Chelsea, sealing yet another trophy for the Reds.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s meteoric rise continued in 2019/20, as he cemented his reputation as one of world football’s most exciting young players.
His performance at Leicester on Boxing Day was arguably the best individual display of the season, with a goal, two assists and a clean sheet to his name.
Neco Williams
Neco Williams has come of age this season and he now looks an able deputy to Alexander-Arnold.
The teenager made his Premier League debut against Crystal Palace in June—an immensely proud moment for a huge talent.
Joe Gomez
Joe Gomez is very much Virgil van Dijk‘s junior partner at the heart of Liverpool’s defence, but he became the leader in the FA Cup clash with Everton.
He was magnificent in the 1-0 over the Blues, performing immaculately alongside the inexperienced Nat Phillips.
Virgil van Dijk
Van Dijk has repeated last season’s brilliance, becoming an ever-present in the Premier League for a second season in a row.
The Dutchman’s header at home to United has to be his best moment, although his incredible headed control to himself against Brighton epitomised his class.
Joel Matip
Injuries have again disrupted Joel Matip‘s season, but he was in imperious form at the start of the campaign.
The centre-back’s bullet header at home to Arsenal in August set Liverpool on their way to a resounding 3-1 victory.
Dejan Lovren
Lovren leaves Anfield this summer and his season was often ‘miss’ rather than ‘hit’.
That’s not to say there haven’t been key contributions, however, not least in the 3-1 win over Man City at Anfield, when he was a rock at the back.
Andy Robertson
His brilliant assist against Chelsea comes close, but Andy Robertson‘s equaliser at Aston Villa in November was a big moment in the season.
Without his header, and the Sadio Mane strike that followed, the title race could so easily have panned out differently – on a day when City looked to have narrowed the gap to just four points.
Fabinho
The win over City was a day that highlighted Liverpool’s superiority over their rivals and Fabinho was a monster in the middle of the park.
The Brazilian’s stunning strike opened the scoring – he would score a similar effort at home to Palace, too.
Jordan Henderson
There’s only one winner here.
Jordan Henderson became the first-ever Liverpool captain to lift the Premier League trophy – it is an image that he will be remembered for forever.
That Steven Gerrard-shaped shadow looming over him is no more.
Gini Wijnaldum
It might not have been pretty, but Gini Wijnaldum‘s winner at Sheffield United was priceless.
The 29-year-old’s volley squeezed through the hands of Dean Henderson to send the away end wild, as Liverpool maintained their 100 percent record in gritty fashion.
James Milner
When it comes to scoring a penalty, would you trust anyone more than James Milner?
The veteran’s last-gasp spot-kick against Leicester at Anfield was another enormous moment in the title race, as Liverpool’s relentless march to glory continued.
Naby Keita
Naby Keita has been one of Liverpool’s star men after the restart, having blown hot and cold prior to it.
The Guinean’s thunderous strike against Chelsea was his best goal yet for the Reds and further suggests he is on the verge of becoming an increasingly key figure.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain chipped in with eight goals in 2019/20, including a beauty against former club Arsenal in the League Cup.
It was his gorgeous outside-of-the-foot finish away to Genk that was the pick of the bunch, though, with the shot hitting the underside of the crossbar for good measure.
Adam Lallana
Adam Lallana departs Liverpool as a hugely popular figure, with his impact off the pitch valued greatly by Klopp.
His late equaliser away to United was crucial in its own right, however, preserving the Reds’ unbeaten record at the time.
Curtis Jones
This is an obvious one, isn’t it?
Scoring in the Premier League against Villa was a great moment for Curtis Jones, as was netting the winning penalty in front of the Kop against Arsenal in the League Cup.
But both pale into insignificance compared to bagging a brilliant winner at home to Everton in the FA Cup.
A dream moment for any boyhood Red.
Xherdan Shaqiri
Xherdan Shaqiri‘s influence at Liverpool has steadily dwindled, but he has still chipped in sporadically.
The Swiss slid home a lovely finish against Everton in the league, on a night when he was at his unpredictable, entertaining best.
Takumi Minamino
Takumi Minamino has yet to make a noticeable contribution for Liverpool, so we will go with his outstanding performance for Salzburg at Anfield.
It was one of the best displays by an opposition player in years, including a well-taken volley.
Mohamed Salah
The 2-0 win over United felt like the day the title was clinched and Salah’s aforementioned goal was the crowning moment of the match.
He latched onto Alisson‘s long pass in supreme fashion, before finishing well past David De Gea in front of an ecstatic Kop.
The celebration wasn’t too shabby, either.
Sadio Mane
Mane is a strong Player of the Year contender, producing so many major contributions along the way.
It is his stoppage-time winner at Villa that will arguably be remembered as Liverpool’s biggest goal of the season, however, with the Senegalese steering a header into the far corner.
Roberto Firmino
It may not have been the most ruthless season of Roberto Firmino‘s career, but he still scored the goal that clinched the Club World Cup back in December.
The 28-year-old finishing with aplomb in the 1-0 win over Flamengo, further etching his name into Liverpool folklore.
Divock Origi
Divock Origi finished the campaign with a bang, scoring a cracker against Newcastle, but it wasn’t quite his best moment.
The Belgian’s double at home to Everton saw him again cause sleepless nights on the blue half of Merseryside – his lobbed effort over Jordan Pickford was particularly memorable.
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