Liverpool maintained their place on the high of the Premier League desk this weekend as they secured a 3-1 win over Burnley at Anfield on Saturday.
The Reds are actually two factors forward of reigning champions Manchester Metropolis, who briefly overtook them earlier within the day, however have performed yet another recreation than Pep Guardiola’s aspect.
There was a historic second for a sure Reds participant throughout the first half as Trent Alexander-Arnold recorded his 58th Premier League help, with an excellent nook for Diogo Jota’s purpose.
Most assists by defenders in Premier League historical past |
|
---|---|
Participant |
Assists |
Trent Alexander-Arnold |
58 |
Andy Robertson |
57 |
Leighton Baines |
53 |
Graeme Le Saux |
44 |
Antonio Valencia |
39 |
Stats by way of Premier League |
As you’ll be able to see within the desk above, the Liverpool academy graduate has now offered extra assists than some other defender within the historical past of the division – yet another than teammate Andy Robertson, who may nonetheless overtake him earlier than the tip of their respective careers.
It was an important second for Alexander-Arnold and for the Reds as one among their academy merchandise has gone on to develop into a star within the Premier League.
Most worthy former Liverpool academy prospects
Nonetheless, Liverpool haven’t at all times made the a lot of the expertise that has been inside their academy system as one of the vital invaluable former gamers by no means went on to make a first-team look for the membership.
Alexander-Arnold, as per Transfermarkt, is probably the most invaluable ex-academy gem for Liverpool at €70m (£59.7m), and present Newcastle United ahead Anthony Gordon is second with a price of €50m (£42.6m).
That’s barely decrease, although, than his precise worth because the Magpies snapped him up from fellow Premier League aspect Everton in a £45m deal in January 2023.
Former Liverpool academy gamers |
||
---|---|---|
Participant |
Present membership |
Market worth |
Trent Alexander-Arnold |
Liverpool |
£59.7m |
Anthony Gordon |
Newcastle |
£42.6m |
Raheem Sterling |
Chelsea |
£38m |
Curtis Jones |
Liverpool |
£25.6m |
Harvey Elliott |
Liverpool |
£25.6m |
Jack Harrison |
Everton (on mortgage from Leeds) |
£18.7m |
Valuations per Transfermarkt |
As you’ll be able to see within the desk above, Liverpool have produced a variety of highly-valued younger gamers in recent times who’re presently flying excessive within the Premier League.
Gordon, nevertheless, is one they could really feel bought away from them as they determined to launch him at a younger age, and he has since gone on to shine for Everton and Newcastle within the top-flight.
TalkSPORT beforehand reported that the winger had been let go by the Reds on the age of 11, which allowed the Toffees to snap him up for his or her academy.
After all, it could be extremely harsh guilty anybody on the membership for that call as there is no such thing as a telling how a participant will develop and go on to enhance or change on the age of 11.
Nonetheless, there could also be a way of ‘what if?’ because the 22-year-old ahead can be an improve on present Liverpool attacker Luis Diaz, primarily based on their respective performances to this point within the Premier League this season.
Luis Diaz’s season in numbers
The Colombia worldwide, who scored the group’s second purpose within the 3-1 win over Burnley on Saturday, has been a strong, if unspectacular, performer for the Reds to this point this season.
Diaz produced 4 objectives and two assists in 17 video games within the top-flight all through the 2022/23 marketing campaign, and is but to actually kick on from that return in entrance of purpose.
The 27-year-old whiz has made 23 appearances within the Premier League to this point this season and scored 5 objectives from an xG of 5.56, which suggests that he’s barely underperforming as a finisher.
He has additionally solely offered two assists and created one ‘large probability’ for his teammates in these 23 matches. In truth, the Reds gem ranks inside the backside 11% of Premier League attacking midfielders and wingers for Anticipated Assisted Targets (0.11) per 90.
These statistics recommend that the previous Porto star has not offered excellent high quality as both a scorer or a creator of objectives for Jurgen Klopp on the left flank, with common ending and below-average creativity.
In the meantime, Gordon has outperformed him on each fronts for Newcastle beneath Eddie Howe this season, having joined the Magpies from Everton in January of final 12 months.
Anthony Gordon’s brilliance this season
The England U21 worldwide has discovered his ft in Tyneside and has established himself as one among their stars together with his chic shows within the league this time period.
Gordon managed 4 objectives and nil assists in 32 Premier League matches for Newcastle and Everton mixed all through the 2022/23 marketing campaign, which made the £45m payment spent on his companies look barely questionable.
Nonetheless, the 22-year-old whiz, who’s 5 years youthful than Diaz, has taken his recreation to the subsequent stage beneath Howe this season, and is exhibiting his high quality week-in-week-out as a sensation within the division.
As you’ll be able to see within the desk above, Gordon has offered his group with extra finish product than the Liverpool winger within the closing third with extra objectives, extra assists, extra large possibilities created, and extra xA.
He has additionally been extra ruthless in entrance of purpose compared to Diaz because the English magician has overperformed his xG for Newcastle to this point.
The Magpies starlet, who was as soon as described as “electrical” by journalist Keith Downie, solely racked up seven objectives and eight assists in 78 matches for Everton however has gone on to search out consistency on the high finish of the pitch at St. James’ Park.
His output this season means that he can be an improve on Diaz – to not say that he’s a nasty participant by any stretch – within the present Liverpool group, resulting from his superior high quality as a finisher and a creator from the left flank, and that’s the reason the Reds fumbled after they launched him for £0 on the age of 11.
As aforementioned, it could be extremely harsh to criticise the membership for what now seems to be a mistake, resulting from how early into his academy profession it was, however it’s fascinating to think about what may have occurred in the event that they stored religion within the gifted whiz.