Two Liverpool players in Premier League XI of the season so far

We’re 16 games into the Premier League season and this is the XI that has wowed so far.

We have used WhoScored ratings as a guide. No players with fewer than seven starts are included.

GOALKEEPER: Neto (Bournemouth)
Not the best saves percentage in the Premier League. Not the most clean sheets in the Premier League (though he has three in his last five PL games). But in a close field, Neto might well have got the nod because of a penalty save to deny Mo Salah way back when.

RIGHT-BACK: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Taking over from Kieran Trippier after a couple of nightmare performances from the Newcastle man is Alexander-Arnold, who has created a boat-load of chances this season while playing in the level-best Premier League defence of the season.

CENTRE-BACK: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
A couple of Premier League assists and a goal help the algorithm but it’s his prowess in the air that earns him his place here. Add an impressive pass completion percentage and some vital blocks and he is rightly ensconced in this XI.

CENTRE-BACK: Cristian Romero (Tottenham)
Something of a lunatic but that doesn’t really matter when you score three Premier League goals as well as doing most of the defending and a lot of the passing really rather well.

LEFT-BACK: Vitalii Mykolenko (Everton)
Made more successful tackles from left-back than any other player this season and he has only played in 12 Premier League games. He’s also lobbed in a couple of goals as the Toffees have become a better attacking force this season.

CENTRE MIDFIELD: Rodri (Manchester City)
The best in the world in his position? Quite possibly. Casually added goals to his repertoire while posting a 94% pass completion rate and doing all the dirty defensive work too.

CENTRE MIDFIELD: Declan Rice (Arsenal)
Just an excellent player. Imagine if Man City had got his signing over the line and he had been paired with the man above. As it stands, he is at the centre of Arsenal’s title challenge.

RIGHT WING: Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Five goals and six assists this season but it’s defensive work that keeps him way ahead of Mo Salah here. WhoScored have him pegged as the player of the season so far.

ATTACKING MIDFIELD: James Maddison (Tottenham)
The most creative player in the Premier League this season. He has also logged three goals and five assists. What a signing. Shame he is broken.

LEFT WING: Jeremy Doku (Manchester City)
Casually claimed four Premier League assists v Bournemouth to earn him a rare 10.00 rating on WhoScored. Then dribbled past 12 Liverpool players because that is completely normal behaviour for a 21-year-old.

STRIKER: Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
You just cannot argue with 14 Premier League goals in 15 games. Nor with all these other ridiculous statistics. Though it’s Son who has been the better finisher this season.