Liverpool’s best and worst players this season - with Virgil van Dijk only the third best centre-back

Liverpool didn’t go into the international break as they’d have hoped for following defeat to West Ham.

The 3-2 reverse at the London Stadium was the Reds’ maiden loss of the Premier League season - and snapped a 25-match unbeaten run.

Still, Jurgen Klopp will probably be satisfied with the start to the campaign. Liverpool are only four points off the top of the Premier League in fourth and are into the last 16 of the Champions League with two Group B matches to spare.

But who has been the top performer at Anfield so far this term?

The boffins over WhoScored.com keep track of every Liverpool display and give a player rating for each before working out a seasonal average.

The website claims its ratings are "based on a unique, comprehensive statistical algorithm, calculated live during the game. There are over 200 raw statistics included in the calculation of a player's/team's rating, weighted according to their influence within the game”.

Salah supreme

And according to the statistics, no-one has performed better than Mo Salah. Now there’s a shock.

The forward has been in scintillating form, plundering 15 goals and laying on six assists in 15 games in all competitions.

His contract really needs to be sorted as soon as possible yet the impasse remains.

Next best is Trent Alexander-Arnold (7.70). The right-back has hit top form again and bagged a superb free-kick at West Ham.

Meanwhile, the versatile James Milner, who is currently absent with a hamstring injury, is third with an average rating of 7.30.

It might come as a surprise that Virgil van Dijk is ranked only Liverpool’s third best centre-back.

He’s been handed a rating of 7.05, which places him below Ibrahima Konate (7.16) and Joel Matip (7.14).

And fans will be stunned Harvey Elliott’s been given a score of just 6.59 despite his impressive displays before suffering a serious ankle injury at Leeds.

Liverpool’s average player ratings

1. Mo Salah - 8.18

2. Trent Alexander-Arnold - 7.70

3. James Milner - 7.30

4. Sadio Mane - 7.24

5. Naby Keita - 7.19

6. Caoimhin Kelleher - 7.18

7. Diogo Jota - 7.17

8. Ibrahima Konate - 7.16

9. Joel Matip - 7.14

10. Kostas Tsimikas - 7.07

11. Virgil van Dijk - 7.05

12. Jordan Henderson - 7.03

13. Roberto Firmino - 7.00

14. Neco Williams - 6.90

15. Alisson - 6.84

16. Andy Robertson - 6.83

17. Thiago Alcantara - 6.81

18. Curtis Jones - 6.77

19. Divock Origi - 6.70

20. Harvey Elliott - 6.59

21. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - 6.58

22. Joe Gomez - 6.10

23. Takumi Minamino - 5.99