Three matches may not be the largest sample size, but Liverpool’s opening trio of Premier League fixtures has already provided a solid amount of evidence to gauge how the club’s key players are performing in the early stages of their title defense.
With some usual suspects meeting expectations and others surprising—both positively and negatively—let’s break down composite ratings for Liverpool’s main contributors.
Alisson Becker: 7.5/10
The Brazilian hasn’t been called upon to make any highlight-reel saves yet this season, but Alisson has looked sharp to start the campaign.
There was little he could do to prevent Nelson Semenyo’s brace in the opener, but he followed that game up with several commanding punches to clear danger against Newcastle, before making smart decisions to stifle Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze and keep a clean sheet vs. Arsenal over the weekend.
Virgil van Dijk: 8/10
The captain couldn’t have been pleased to see Liverpool concede four goals across their opening two matches, but on an individual level, Virgil van Dijk has looked every bit his imperious self.
Aside from shaky moments against Bournemouth’s counterattack, Liverpool’s No. 4 has already reasserted his dominance, leading the league in aerial duels won (17).
Whether it was Newcastle or Arsenal swinging dangerous balls into the final third, it felt inevitable that Virgil would rise above and head the danger clear.
Ibrahima Konate: 6.5/10
After two poor outings to open the season, the Frenchman bounced back with a strong display against Arsenal.
He struggled even more than Virgil in containing Bournemouth’s counterattack and was equally ineffective against Newcastle, but he looked far more assured versus the Gunners.
Given Arsenal’s defense-first approach in that match, it will be interesting to see how Ibou fares against a quality attacking side like City or Tottenham willing to put Liverpool’s backline under sustained pressure.
Milos Kerkez: 6.5/10
Like Konaté, he endured a shaky start with two underwhelming outings before shining against Arsenal.
The Hungarian was overpowered by Bruno Guimaraes in conceding a goal that greatly energized 10-man Newcastle, but he followed it up with his best performance in a Liverpool shirt, making several crucial tackles versus the Gunners.
A goal contribution is still missing from the attack-minded fullback, though patience will be important—after all, it took until November last season for Kerkez to register a G/A. The signs suggest he’s beginning to settle into life at Liverpool.
Dominik Szoboszlai: 9/10
The Reds’ best player so far this season in my eyes.
He posted a pedestrian performance vs. Bournemouth, but since then, the No. 8 has been absolutely immense, acting as a chameleon that can play anywhere on the pitch.
Whether it’s been making positive defensive contributions at right back, creating opportunities for his teammates further up the pitch like his dummy for Ngumoha’s winner vs. Newcastle, or his instantly iconic match-winning free kick against Arsenal, Szoboszlai has done everything asked of him and more.
Coming out of the international break, he cannot be left on the bench, even if Frimpong is fit. Slot must find room for this versatile star.
Ryan Gravenberch: 7.5/10
A rollercoaster start to the season for the Dutchman, but the positives have outweighed the negatives.
He looked a bit all over the place in open play against Newcastle by losing possession nine times, a high figure for a DM; yet, his thunderous strike past Nick Pope makes it easy to overlook that inconsistency.
Against Arsenal, he played like the defensive machine he’s become, completely neutralizing any threat from their midfield. Overall, a strong beginning to the year for Gravy.
Florian Wirtz: 6.5/10
There’s no sugarcoating it: the German has yet to meet expectations.
As mentioned earlier, three matches is a small sample size, but based on what we’ve seen, Wirtz still looks like he’s adjusting to the pace and physicality of the Premier League.
He’s shown flashes—creating a few chances and cleverly clearing space for Hugo Ekitike's goal against Bournemouth—but his overall impact has been limited.
There’s plenty of time for him to settle and deliver on the hype, but so far, his contributions have fallen short of what fans anticipated.
Alexis Mac Allister: 7/10
One of the smallest sample sizes among Liverpool’s key contributors given that the Argentine sat out against Newcastle, yet he showed starkly contrasting performances in the matches against Bournemouth and Arsenal.
He opened his campaign with a solid showing that included an assist against the Cherries, playing a clever pass into Ekitike for the goal.
Sunday’s display versus the Gunners, however, was disappointing and will need to be left behind if our No. 10 hopes to earn consistent minutes with an in-form Szoboszlai playing like he is, though we can hope those struggles were partly due to regaining full fitness.
Hugo Ekitike: 8.5/10
Liverpool’s most potent attacking option so far this season has been lethal.
Opening his Reds account with a goal in the Community Shield, followed by a goal and an assist against Bournemouth and another class strike versus Newcastle, Ekitike has had a near-perfect start.
While it would have been nice to see him score against Arsenal to become the first player in Liverpool history to score in each of his first four career league games with the club, the limited service from the midfield and wings makes it hard to fault the Frenchman for his quiet performance.
He’s hit the ground running on Merseyside, and even with the thrilling arrival of Alexander Isak likely to impact his minutes, the busy schedule across the Premier League, Champions League, and domestic cups means there’s no doubt Arne Slot will find ways to keep Ekitike consistently on the pitch.
Cody Gakpo: 7/10
A bit quiet on the eye test to start the season, but still managing to make solid contributions.
Cody delivered a classic cut-left-to-right goal against Bournemouth and added two assists versus Newcastle, showing his ability to influence games.
While it would have been great to see him probe further into the Arsenal backline—especially with William Saliba sidelined—he recorded his fewest touches of the season so far against the Gunners, with just 32.
Mohamed Salah: 7.5/10
Like Gakpo, Salah hasn’t yet put together the dazzling highlights we’ve come to expect from the Egyptian King, but he’s still made his mark with a goal against Bournemouth and an assist versus Newcastle.
We haven’t seen him terrorize defenses like last season, yet without his deft first-time pass to set up Ngumoha against Newcastle, Liverpool might not have secured nine points from nine.
Write him off at your peril—there’s little doubt Salah will be back to wreaking havoc when the team returns from international duty.