Liverpool’s 49-year-old Normal-one, Jurgen Klopp, recently completed his first anniversary at Anfield and boy what an amazing time he is having at the club. Right at this very moment, it is very safe to say that they will compete for the top trophies this season.
The first and utmost task for the manager would surely be a European spot; be it Champions League or Europa League, a place in Europe’s prime competition is what really matters. The former Borussia Dortmund gaffer kept his composure throughout the year and his side did face a harsh time during the last stages of the previous season (Europa League defeat especially), but all bets are off now.
The new season has brought a new dawn for the Anfield spectators and a brilliant start to it has added more optimism at the Anfield camp. They did stumble against Burnley, but the demolition of Arsenal, Leicester City and Chelsea has more than made up for it. Up next are the fierce rivals Manchester United and the side will be looking to present a perfect victory to the fans on the occasion.
The manager, unlike the so-called big clubs, didn’t cash multi-millions in the window as he only spent £61.9m and so far, the new arrivals have asserted their authorities in the pitch. So here is how we rank them:
3. Georginio Wijnaldum-
After famously snubbing Tottenham Hotspur for Liverpool, the expectations from the former Newcastle United man were sky-high. He was deployed centrally by the manager in his 4-3-3 overhaul and the Dutchman took his time to burp it up. Initially, he struggled a bit as his presence was not really felt in the side but as the momentum picked up, he regained his form.
Well, the 25-year-old is known for his attacking prowess and deploying him in a deeper would have surely resulted in a decline no doubt, but the way he has picked himself up is really worth praising. He is yet to net a goal but he already has two assists to his name and the stats will surely go higher.
2. Joel Matip-
This unarguably should go down as one of the best signings for Liverpool in a long term. A player of Matip’s calibre can cost way too much to any club, but the fact that he arrived on a free transfer is a blessing for Liverpool.
Once again, it is too early to judge any new arrival, but his performances in the big games have earned a lot of plaudits. So far, the former Schalke man has averaged 88% of passing accuracy and has won 55% of his average duels and that is a top stat for a newcomer. The defender was thought to act as a cover for Sakho and Lovren, but the events unfolded in a surprising way and resulted in him cementing his starting XI spot ahead of other challengers.
The former Schalke man isn’t the most prolific defender as Nemanja Vidic or Daniel Agger (in his prime), but he certainly has his own qualities. Premier League demands aggression to succeed, but he believes in keeping the composure and that allows him to time his tackles perfectly. Well, he showed his class against Chelsea where he kept untamable Diego Costa quiet all night.
1. Sadio Mane-
I guess no one will argue over this! The most expensive African player, Sadio Mane, arrived at the Anfield with a price tag of £30m and many “footballing experts” compared him with Manchester United’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan.While Mane is on the verge to script down his name at Anfield, Mkhitaryan’s career is completely going south.
We are solely not criticizing Mkhitaryan’s abilities as he needs time to adapt the League and his unfortunate injuries have also stalled his career, but the league waits for no one, especially the Premier League.Mane, on the other hand, has already scored three goals in the Premier League and is expected to score more. The player, unlike many other big money signings, is completely justifying the responsibilities he was shouldered upon.
