The 2022–23 season was expected to be an exciting one for Liverpool, seeing as they lost the league to Manchester City on the final day of the previous season.
However, the campaign didn’t go as planned as they struggled for a large part of it, with their failure to qualify for the Champions League a testament to a disappointing campaign.
Jurgen Kloop’s side suffered a mammoth drop in points, goals scored, and goal difference as they finished with 65 points, a huge 25 points drop from the previous season. They could only manage a fifth-place finish and a spot in next season’s Europa League, marking the first time the Anfield outfit missed out on the top-four in seven years.
Best Player: Alisson Becker
In a season that was blighted by numerous poor performances, the Brazilian goalkeeper was a standout performer for the Reds, helping with fine saves either to keep them in a game they should have lost, to keep the scoreline respectable, or to help them hold on to a lead.
Despite the visible cracks in the Reds’ rearguard, Alisson was ranked joint-second in clean sheets record with 14 games. He ranked in the top five in the Premier League for saves with 108, and he is the only goalkeeper from the “top six” teams to finish that high this campaign. He finished the season with 2.9 saves per match and a save success rate of 71.5%.
Flop Signing: Arthur Melo
Liverpool signed Arthur Melo on loan from Juventus towards the end of the 2022 summer transfer window, with the hope that the Brazilian would help bolster their deficient midfield.
However, the 26-year-old’s signing did not pan out as envisaged, as he was unable to find his footing at the Merseyside club due to many issues ranging from injuries to a lack of fitness.
Arthur only featured once for the Reds, in their 4-1 loss to Napoli in their Champions League opening match—before his injury and was later demoted to their Under-21s, where he played three times, twice in the Premier League 2 and once in the EFL Trophy.
Best Game: 7-0 win against Manchester United
Despite their topsy-turvy season, Jurgen Klopp’s team enjoyed a few brilliant results, but none was better than their 7-0 humiliation of long-time rivals Manchester United.
United headed to Anfield off the back of an 11-game unbeaten run that included their triumph in the Carabao Cup, but on March 5, Liverpool shocked their rivals and the world with a breathtaking football lesson.
Two goals each from Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, and Cody Gakpo, along with a late finish from Roberto Firmino summarised the ruthless ending to a game in that the Reds hit seven past their rivals from eight shots on target.
Worst Result: 4-1 loss at Man City
At a time when they looked like they had recovered in the league, Liverpool were handed a reality check by eventual champions Manchester City in a 4-1 defeat at the Etihad Stadium.
Despite Mohamed Salah scoring first to put Liverpool ahead, goals from Julian Alvarez, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, and Jack Grealish ensured Pep Guardiola’s side ended the game as comfortable winners.
At that time, the defeat meant they had lost eight away games in the Premier League – their most in a single season in eight years. It also meant they lost for the first time in over two years after scoring first.
Top Scorer: Mohamed Salah
Though the Egyptian did not enjoy the sort of campaign that many have come to know him for, Salah still emerged as Liverpool’s top scorer with 19 goals from 38 games, the fourth-highest in the Premier League.
He also finished joint-second in the assists ranking with 12, putting his goal contribution for the season at 31.
Across all competitions, Salah ended with 30 goals and 16 assists in the 2022–23 season.
