Liverpool have a fantastic selection of passers right now. But who are the most-creative players plying their trade at Anfield?
Liverpool are a team full of creativity, with several fantastic passers. There is, however, a clear top-five when it comes to creating chances.
So here are the five most creative players of the Premier League season so far (all stats per Whoscored).
5. Andy Robertson
Andy Robertson sits on 1.4 key passes per game (passes that directly lead to shots). That’s good enough for fifth, 0.3 more than sixth-place Roberto Firmino.
Robertson has made left-back his own and is firmly in the argument for Liverpool’s best-ever in the role. His crossing is outstanding, while is cut-backs from the byline are deadly.
He’s got two assist in the Premier League so far – surprisingly, the highest on this list.
4. Thiago
Thiago has only played a game-and-a-half (exactly, in fact, at 135 minutes) but has impressed in that time.
He averaged 1.5 key passes in that time and, surprisingly, put in an awful lot of long-balls. The fact that he is fourth for key passes, averaged 6.5 long balls and maintained the third-best pass completion is remarkable.
For perspective, only Naby Keita and Gini Wijnaldum have a higher completion. But they are far more conservative with their passing. They average 0.3 & 0.5 key passes and 0.5 & 1.3 long balls respectively.
Thiago, with the amount of risky passes he makes, is truly incredible at what he does.
3. Trent Alexander-Arnold
Robertson is on the list so, naturally, Trent Alexander-Arnold is, too. Similar to the Scot, the Scouser is a massive threat down the flank.
He averages 1.6 key passes per game which, perhaps uncoincidentally, is also the average number of crosses he completes per game.
A truly outstanding player and someone we keep forgetting is still just 22.
2. Sadio Mane
What a player Sadio Mane is. He averages exactly two key passes per game, meaning he’s created 14 chances in the Premier League this season.
His average means he’s joint-13th best in the top flight. The fact he’s added four goals on top of that just goes to show how versatile Mane is.
But we can go further with that versatility. No one above him in key passes averages more dribbles, four have more goals.
1. Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah runs away with this, in truth. He averages 2.6 key passes per game – fifth-best in the Premier League.
But two things stand out further. First is that he’s got eight goals, whereas the four players above him have 12 combined.
The second is that Salah has zero assists in the Premier League. Harry Kane has eight and yet creates fewer chances. Unsurprisingly, Salah is the only player in the top 10 with zero assists.
That suggests Salah’s teammates aren’t quite firing on his level. If they were, he’d be competing for assist totals as well as goal totals.
Hopefully everyone else can catch up because the Egyptian is having an incredible season, even by his standards.