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Liverpool were expected to kick on after getting their hands on the domestic crown for the first time in 30 years. However, Jurgen Klopp's side were ravaged by injuries and capitulated dramatically after leading the points table on Christmas Day, as the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip suffered season-ending injuries.
With all his central defensive options essentially wiped out, the German had to make do with playing the experienced duo of Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams for the second half of the season, while Turkish defender Ozan Kabak was snapped up on an emergency loan deal in the January transfer window.
Despite losing six successive home league games in a row and dropping to ninth in the Premier League table in February, Liverpool recovered well at the business end of the season. Between their famous victory at Old Trafford and a last-gasp win against West Bromwich Albion thanks to Alisson Becker's stoppage-time winner, the Reds recaptured their mojo and finished third.
The 2020-21 season was far from ideal for Klopp and co, but they'll take encouragement from the fact that they secured UEFA Champions League football despite losing all their central defenders to long-term injuries.
On that note, here are the five best Liverpool players from the 2020-21 Premier League season.
#5 Trent Alexander-Arnold
Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold went through a tough patch after the turn of the year and was even dropped from the England squad by Gareth Southgate. However, the 22-year-old recovered in some style and showed his class at the business end of the season, as he played a pivotal role in the Reds' push for a UEFA Champions League slot.
Together with Thiago Alcantara and Mohamed Salah, Alexander-Arnold occupies what is arguably the strongest right flank in world football and has forged a brilliant understanding with the duo.
He made 45 appearances in all competitions and notched up two goals and nine assists, as he stayed injury-free and performed admirably in what was a difficult season for Liverpool.
#4 Diogo Jota
Manchester United v Liverpool - Premier League
Diogo Jota enjoyed a stunning start to his Liverpool career, as he came off the bench to score against Arsenal on his debut. The Portuguese winger eased the pressure on Mohamed Salah at the start of the season and almost scored goals at will before suffering an injury in a UEFA Champions League dead-rubber against FC Midtjylland.
Despite the setback, Jota returned to the team after a three-month absence and carried on from where he left off, as he continued to rack up the numbers and delivered a string of eye-catching displays.
He made 30 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool and finished the season with a creditable tally of 13 goals and an assist.
Also Read: Ranking the 5 best goalkeepers in the Premier League this season (2020-21)
#3 Fabinho
Fabinho was arguably the unsung hero of Liverpool's season, as the Brazilian delivered magnificent performances as a make-shift central defender when called upon. Due to an injury crisis, he was slotted into the heart of the Liverpool rearguard, but Fabinho took to his new role expertly and excelled in an unfamiliar position.
After Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams belatedly became Jurgen Klopp's preferred central defensive pairing, he returned to his role at the base of Liverpool's midfield. The former Monaco man forged a fruitful partnership with Thiago Alcantara and was the perfect foil to the Spaniard's creativity and class on the ball, as he put in the hard yards and did the dirty work in midfield.
Fabinho made 42 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool and is reportedly close to signing a contract extension at the club.
#2 Andy Robertson
Liverpool's Mr. reliable Andy Robertson enjoyed another stellar season at Anfield, as he cemented his status as one of the best players in the world in his position. The Scotland captain looked a bit tired at the business end of the season, but he didn't let it take its toll on his performances.
Robertson made a staggering 50 appearances in all competitions for the Reds and started every Premier League game in what was an injury-ravaged campaign for Klopp's side. Greek left-back Kostas Tsimikas was snapped up from Olympiacos last summer to provide cover for Robertson, but he hardly featured this season, indicating the Scotsman's importance to the Reds.
The 27-year-old also notched up a goal and seven assists in all competitions.
#1 Mohamed Salah
Unsurprisingly, Mohamed Salah was Liverpool's talisman during the 2020-21 season. The Egyptian maestro missed just one Premier League game and narrowly missed out on the Golden Boot to Harry Kane, as he single-handedly kept Liverpool in the reckoning for a place in the top four.
Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane enjoyed poor seasons in front of goal, but Salah's form didn't take a hit even as the Reds struggled to get points on the board since the turn of the year. The 28-year-old made 51 appearances in all competitions and scored an impressive 31 goals, while he also notched up six assists.
Salah is undoubtedly one of the best attackers in world football and is already a Liverpool legend. If he carries on scoring like this in the coming years, he'll well and truly cement his status as one of the greatest attackers in the Premier League's illustrious history.
Also Read: 5 goalkeepers with most saves in the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League season
