MADE 4 LIVERPOOL PLAYER OF THE MONTH – AUGUST

The first month of the season is now over and done with. August saw Klopp’s side contest five games, starting with an opening day trip to Fulham, then the visit of Palace, before Manchester United, Bournemouth and Newcastle rounded off a the month.

The Reds managed just two wins from those five fixtures (over Bournemouth and Newcastle), drawing another two (vs Fulham and Palace), and losing at Old Trafford.

It’s time to crown the Player of the Month. Here are the top three performers over the course of August:

3. Joe Gomez – avg. rating (6.5)

The 25 year old saw opportunity come knocking when Joel Matip picked up a knock in training, joining Ibrahima Konaté on the sidelines. Gomez’s rotten luck with injuries threatened to snatch the chance away from him as he himself picked up a knock in the leadup to the Palace clash.

He recovered to play the final half hour and impressed, keeping the dangerous Wilfried Zaha quiet. He started the next game, away at Old Trafford, and was the only one in the backline who could have left the pitch with his head held high.

Joe Gomez has recorded the joint most interceptions (9), the most accurate passes per 90 (80.5), and the second most blocks (3) of the entire Liverpool squad in the Premier League this season.

He was desperately unlucky with a tight offside call that went Marcus Rashford’s way for what proved to be the winner. He was even better in his next outing, keeping the burly Keifer Moore quiet in the demolishing of Bournemouth.

He had a tougher time of things with Isak and Newcastle United but can be happy with his general level over the course of August. He’s started September in similar vein as well, impressing at Goodison Park in the Merseyside derby.

2. Fabio Carvalho – avg. rating (6.7)

The ex-Fulham youngster has been one of the few bright lights in this campaign thus far. He didn’t actually start a single game in August but played well enough off the bench to rank second in this list.

Jürgen Klopp handed him brief cameos against Fulham and Palace but it was against Manchester United that Carvalho truly caught the eye. He came on with the side 2-0 down, and in that hostile atmosphere showed bravery to get on the ball and push the team forward.

He played a huge part in the Reds only goal of the game, with his stinging shot being parried straight into Salah’s path by De Gea. He followed that promising showing with another against Bournemouth as a halftime substitute, netting his first goal for the club.

It was a beautiful strike as well, with the Portuguese youth international slamming home Tsimikas’ touch back into the bottom corner on the volley. If that goal was memorable, the next was even more so.

He once again came off the bench, this time against Newcastle, with the Reds struggling to break down the Magpies rearguard. He stepped up to seal the result with a last gasp volley in off the underside of the bar. Cue bedlam.

1. Harvey Elliott – avg. rating (6.9)

The teenager was one of Liverpool’s brightest players in the early parts of last season till his progress was halted by a horrific injury. He approached this campaign with a point to prove and boy is he proving it.

He came off the bench at his former club on the opening day and played his part in the Reds’ first equaliser, playing Salah into space with a brilliant ball around the corner.

He was rewarded with a start against Palace and once again shone. Before Darwin Nunez’s sending off, he was the best player in red. At Old Trafford he was the best of a bad bunch in the front six and came away with a lot of credit.

He built on that display with an even better one against Bournemouth, netting the first Premier League goal of his career with a sweetly struck curler. Then against Newcastle, he was the best player on the pitch by a mile.

He carried the fight to the Magpies and dominated in midfield against the very physical Joelinton. He’s growing in stature by the game and making that right midfield spot his own. There’s more to come, fitness permitting.

Harvey Elliott has created more chances (7) in the Premier League this season than any other Liverpool midfielder.

Highest rated individual performance of the month:

° Roberto Firmino vs Bournemouth – (10/10)

° Trent Alexander-Arnold vs Bournemouth – (10/10)

° Luis Diaz vs Bournemouth – (9.5/10)

*Average ratings are collated from the player ratings posted on this site after every match. Players must have earned a rating in more than half the number of games in the month under review.