Here are our picks for the three best Liverpool players of 2021. All three played some part in turning the Reds around from awful lows to some incredible highs.
Mohamed Salah
Best Liverpool players or simply best Liverpool player, Mohamed Salah gets his name said. The Egyptian has been the outstanding Red of 2021 and no one else can really come close.
But this isn’t solely about his truly ridiculous form over the first half of this season. No, Salah has been Liverpool’s saviour all year and was the only elite performer for quite some time back at the start of the year.
Salah kept Liverpool going as a regular goalscorer in a team that simply didn’t click. Half the stars were out injured, players were all over the place, and yet he somehow kept scoring.
He scored 31 goals in a mix-and-match team. We’re not sure any other player could have done that and without him, Liverpool don’t even come close to the top four.
That’s what he could do in a struggling side, then, and this season we’re seeing what he can do in a strong one. And what he’s doing is the best in the world right now.
For us, there aren’t many players – if any – who have been so consistently great over 2021. Anywhere.
Fabinho
Fabinho started this year as a centre-back and to his credit, the Brazilian is a very good one. But Liverpool didn’t need him at centre-back – they needed the world’s best defensive midfielder.
It took until March before Fabinho was back playing in his natural position and as soon as the change happened, Liverpool were transformed. It didn’t matter if he had experienced, elite centre-backs behind him or two players who’d never played at the top level before. Either way, Fabinho gave Liverpool the midfield base they required.
Jurgen Klopp has since mentioned how he wishes he’d made that switch sooner. Don’t expect Liverpool to play him elsewhere again anytime soon, then.
2021 has shown just how vital Fabinho is to Liverpool. Without him in midfield, the Reds just aren’t the same. With him, it feels as though they’re capable of beating anyone.
Thiago
This is the controversial pick but we’re sticking with it. Thiago started the year with enormous questions over him – could he actually fit into Liverpool’s system? For a long time, it seemed like the answer was ‘no’.
But there was a problem. As we mentioned above, Fabinho started the year as a centre-back and that meant Thiago played a lot of games as the defensive midfielder. He’s just not suited to it and we saw a lot of rash tackles and restricted performances.
Fabinho’s return unlocked Thiago, though, and we saw something like his best to end last season. His playmaking was a huge reason for Liverpool’s late-season charge into the top-four.
Unfortunately, injury kept Thiago out of games to start this campaign. But once he was back, it took no time at all to see his importance to the side. The Spaniard can run the show for Liverpool and when he’s really clicking into gear, there are few better.
Across a hectic 2021, Thiago managed to show his worth beyond any doubt. From pulling a struggling side into the top-four to playing Arsenal off the park in a title charge, he’s been wonderful.
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