When Liverpool completed a historic transfer window with their most lucrative deal of the summer, the majority thought that the Reds would coast to a second straight Premier League title.
However, Arne Slot’s champions are suffering. A 3–0 defeat at Manchester City has soured optimism of a resurgence, with Liverpool down in eighth and eight points behind leaders Arsenal at the November international break.
Slot has encountered a myriad of issues at the start of his sophomore year, primarily surrounding the balance of his team. The Dutchman hasn’t yet successfully integrated the bulk of the Reds’ shiny new toys, but even a return to last season’s dynamics has also failed to yield sustained success.
Simply put, the Liverpool manager doesn’t know his best starting XI. But perhaps FotMob could help? Here is the Reds’ highest-rated team in Slot’s preferred 4-2-3-1 based on FotMob’s Premier League player ratings for the season so far.
The Brazilian has once again succumbed to a hamstring injury, meaning Giorgi Mamardashvili has taken the reins over the past seven outings. The Georgian, however, is yet to instill any sense of calmness into a struggling Liverpool backline.
Alisson hadn’t exactly been outstanding before his injury, but this Liverpool team desperately needs its standout goalkeeper back in action.
Perhaps not enough was made of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure. Liverpool are down a final third playmaker, and they can look stuck in the face of high pressure. So often was the right-back able to get the Reds up the pitch thanks to his otherworldly distribution.
Summer addition Jeremie Frimpong is brittle, and Conor Bradley has enjoyed most of the minutes since Trent’s exit. The Northern Irishman has been sturdy enough, impressing for the second season running against Real Madrid, but Jérémy Doku had his way with him in Sunday’s 3–0 defeat.
Is Madrid on Ibrahima Konaté’s mind? The French centre back has entered the final year of his contract, and his form has suffered amid reported interest from the Spanish capital.
Konaté has at least stayed fit, but he’s been incredibly erratic at the start of the new season. Standout performances against Arsenal, for example, have been undermined by horror shows against Bournemouth and Crystal Palace. He makes the highest-rated team by default, given the lack of alternatives.
Liverpool’s captain was back to his very best last year, but Konaté’s oscillating form has seen Virgil van Dijk suffer, too.
In short, the generational Dutch defender hasn’t been the figure of dependency he was during their title win. There have multiple examples of curious decision-making and some lazy defensive sequences.
Left-back was pinpointed as an area Liverpool had to bolster in the summer. Andy Robertson was regarded as the Reds’ sole weak link last season, but the veteran defender hasn’t yet been usurped.
New arrival Milos Kerkez has been a figure of chaos down the left flank since arriving from Bournemouth, forcing Slot to turn to Robertson again. The Scot hasn’t been particularly great, but he’s been more stable than the Hungarian alternative.
The former Ajax starlet was one of the revelations of Liverpool’s title triumph, with Slot entrusting Ryan Gravenberch to function as the silky metronome in his engine room.
The Dutch international hasn’t quite hit the heights of 2024–25 at the start of the new season, but Gravenberch has nonetheless been one of FotMob’s highest-rated Liverpool players.
Curtis Jones is pipped by Alexis Mac Allister, who’s had a difficult start to the campaign after a disrupted preseason.
Fitness setbacks in the summer means it’s taken a while for the Argentine to hit his stride, and he’s struggled for consistency so far. A standout display in the win over Real Madrid was followed up by a panicked showing at the Etihad. He’s been underwhelming.
Mohamed Salah was always up against it if he was to repeat his historic 2024–25 season, during which he set a new Premier League record with 47 goal contributions.
This time around, Liverpool’s Egyptian king has not only endured a downturn in production (eight goals and assists in 16 games), but he’s also struggling to nail the fundamentals. His season so far has been plagued by loose first touches and clumsy sequences in the final third. A lack of defensive effort is also proving costly.
Dominik Szoboszlai has been Liverpool’s standout performer of the season so far, there’s no doubting that. However, the Hungarian midfielder doesn’t top FotMob’s ratings.
Szoboszlai has been used in an array of roles by Slot, and whenever Liverpool have performed at a level comparable to the heights they reached last season, the former RB Leipzig star has functioned as the leading man. Many believe he’ll be captain one day.
It’s Cody Gakpo who’s FotMob’s golden boy. A 7.44 average rating in the Premier League this season tops Liverpool’s charts.
His minutes have increased after Luis Díaz’s departure to Bayern Munich, and while he’s been moderately productive (four goals and three assists in all competitions), Gakpo can be predictable when operating down the touchline. He is a willing worker out of possession, though, and does have the knack for being in the right place at the right time. However, he isn’t always the most reliable in front of goal, as his profligacy in the defeat to Manchester United proved.
There’s no doubting that Hugo Ekitiké has been the most impressive of Liverpool’s so far underwhelming haul of big-money acquisitions. He betters Alexander Isak by default due to the Swede’s injury issues.
Ekitiké has endured games of anonymity, as was the case at the Etihad, but he’s a fluid operator who combines well and moves effortlessly. There’s room for growth, but the foundations are distinctly exciting. The Frenchman leads Liverpool’s scoring charts with six goals in all competitions.
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