Liverpool player ratings so far this season: three earn 8/10 while unlikely defender lands 6/10

Liverpool will return to action this weekend following the end of the international break and they will be looking to continue their unbeaten run in the Premier League. The Reds are currently third in the table, two points behind leaders Manchester City, after winning three of their four opening fixtures.

Jurgen Klopp’s side missed out on qualifying for Champions League football last season, having hit a worrying dip in form and settling for a fifth-place finish. But after a chaotic transfer window, Liverpool are pushing on from their recent troubles and will be aiming for top four, if not higher this time round.

In just four games, we’ve already had a good look at how Klopp’s team is doing as a unit, and how well his new recruits have been settling in. With a brand new captain and vice-captain, four new signings and the absence some big names, Liverpool have entered a new era, but how have the players fared so far?

Alisson — 8

After Liverpool got stuck in a bit of a rut last season before their end-of-term resurrection, Alisson has returned to the pitch looking confident. The Brazilian hasn’t conceded more than one goal in a match yet and he pulled off a big save against Newcastle to deny them extending their lead, despite the Reds being on the back foot most of that match.

Trent Alexander-Arnold — 6

Trent’s error against Bournemouth gifted them an early opener, despite making a similar mistake just moments prior which he was lucky was offside. He was also at fault for Newcastle’s goal and was lucky to evade a sending off, even if the yellow card was a bit harsh. Redeemed himself with a strong performance and an assist against Aston Villa, but overall three errors and a red card near miss in four games is a big takeaway.

Ibrahima Konaté — 6

A big talking point prior to the season was regarding who Klopp would choose to partner Virgil van Dijk. Konaté started both opening matches before being forced to the sidelines due to injury. There’s not been too much to go off for the Frenchman — had a shaky start to the Bournemouth match but improved as time went on.

Virgil van Dijk — 6

A disappointing start to life as Liverpool captain after being sent off in just his third game of the season. Van Dijk was given a straight red card against Newcastle, leaving his side vulnerable and with a lot of ground to make up. After missing the Villa clash, the skipper was handed an extra one-game ban for ‘acting in an improper manner’ towards a match official.

Joe Gomez — 6

Stepped up to the plate following VVD’s sending off against Newcastle and helped drag the Reds over the line in what was a really tough fixture. Gomez started alongside Matip against Villa as the two filled in for both van Dijk and Konaté.

Joël Matip — 6

Like Gomez, stepped up when called upon during a defensive crisis and didn’t really put a foot wrong against Villa. Matip is a solid option to have as both a starting player or a substitute and will be throwing his hat into the ring to battle his colleagues for a regular role in Klopp’s XI.

Andy Robertson — 7

Robertson has been quite a calm and commanding presence in Liverpool’s defence and has conceded just one foul throughout the four games played. The Scot has probably been the most consistent at the back for the Reds and has been more involved in his defensive duties than contributing to the attack.

Wataru Endō — 5

We’ve not really seen enough of Endō yet to make a full assessment of how he is settling into his new club. The Japanese international could have asserted his dominance a little more, but all in all, he is yet to play a full 90 minutes and is one of the newer faces at Anfield. He was brought on for an extremely brief cameo last time out against Villa.

Alexis Mac Allister — 6

Mac Allister is still an exciting player to keep an eye on, and he will definitely unleash his full potential, but so far he has shown flashes rather than full runs of his ability. The Argentinian proved his capability of operating in a more holding role, which of course has been a worrisome topic for the Reds heading into this season.

Dominik Szoboszlai — 7.5

Liverpool’s most impressive signing so far in terms of standard of performance. The new No.8 has been a strong physical presence on the pitch and has looked a real workhorse when it comes to both creative play and contributing to the defence. Szoboszlai’s efforts paid off against Aston Villa when he scored his first goal in stunning fashion.

Curtis Jones — 5

Following the chaos of the transfer window, it’s unclear where Jones will slot into the team and like Endō, he hasn’t played too much yet this season, so it’s hard to make a general statement. He will be fighting for his place in midfield but so far he has played less than 90 minutes in total across the board, big performances to come though, almost certainly.

Harvey Elliott — 5.5

Another player who has had limited time on the pitch, having come off the bench in the latter half of every match so far. Elliott’s energy and work rate is undoubtedly his biggest and most influential asset and he hasn’t really put a foot wrong. However, it’s tough to award a higher rating based on limited game time and no goal involvements just yet.

Mohamed Salah — 8

With two goals and two assists to his tally already, Salah has contributed to a goal in every match this season. After the scare over the summer regarding his potential exit, fans will be relieved to see the Egyptian is in top form as usual and is still of the most reliable players on the pitch.

Luis Díaz — 7

Díaz bagged a goal in both of Liverpool’s opening matches, including the first goal of the season against Chelsea to bank a big point to kick things off. His acrobatics against Bournemouth are also definitely worth mentioning. He was quieter against Newcastle and Villa but remains an attacking threat and a solid part of Klopp’s front three.

Diogo Jota — 6.5

Got on the scoresheet against Bournemouth but probably Liverpool’s quietest attacker this season so far. Still a long way to go for Jota to unleash his full threat though and big things can be expected.

Darwin Núñez — 8

After two appearances off the bench, Darwin came on for a brief spell again vs Newcastle and was responsible for both goals, which clawed Liverpool to the three points. It was the definition of a clutch performance and he followed up with an assist against Villa as well after his previous heroics earned him a start. On par with Salah for his sheer unbelievable presence to turn around what was looking to be a nightmare against the Magpies.

Cody Gakpo — 5.5

Has played centrally and in a deeper role this season but has struggled overall to really make an impact in Liverpool’s attack. Didn’t see enough of the ball to get too much involved against Chelsea, Newcastle or Villa.