An examination of the degree to which the goal threat of dispersed Premier League teams is executed indicates that Liverpool is in an exceptionally advantageous position. Manchester United and Bruno Fernandes are not.

Mohamed Salah is the most important player for Liverpool, and for what reason? There are undoubtedly additional players who can present a compelling argument. For example, Alisson Becker averted a truly catastrophic season in 2022/23 that would have been otherwise disastrous.

However, it is difficult to overlook the Egyptian in 2023/24, when he leads the club in scoring and (jointly) assists. Salah has topped the Reds’ goaltending chart in each of his tenures with the club, and during the Jürgen Klopp era, he has also accumulated the most assists. Upon the unfortunate occasion of his departure, he will be exceedingly difficult to replace.

However, despite the undeniable value that Salah brings to the Liverpool squad, they do not depend exclusively on him to generate opportunities or execute shots. In this regard, a recent Opta Analyst article assisted in emphasizing that the Reds possess one of the most well-balanced squads in the Premier League.

The narrative centered on Bruno Fernandes and the significant percentage of anticipated goals assisted by Manchester United that fall under his responsibility. “Fernandes’ key passes have totaled 3.8 xG assisted, or 25.6 per cent of United’s overall np[non-penalty]-xG figure; the next closest to him in terms of proportion is Marcus Rashford on 8.5 per cent,” was the primary message that Opta conveyed in its analysis.

Additionally, the article incorporated a searchable table that provided the capability to examine any specific player or club. After assisting Liverpool in generating 21.0 percent of the team’s non-penalty expected goals (npxG), Salah holds the second position in the standings. However, in contrast to United, Dominik Szoboszlai of the Reds also ranks in the top eight with 16.0%. The fact that Klopp’s top two outfielders in terms of minutes played also rank first in terms of proportion of creativity is undoubtedly not a complete coincidence; however, that will undoubtedly impact the statistics at every other club as well.

Trent Alexander-Arnold occupies the position directly beneath Marcus Rashford in the Liverpool lineup. Although this comparatively low status continues to cast doubt on the right-back’s abysmal creative output in 2023/24 in comparison to his exceptionally high expectations, it does present an intriguing inquiry. This season, what number of players have contributed to a minimum of 10 percent of their team’s expected assists or non-penalty xG?

A benchmark against which to judge is both arbitrary and reasonably logical. Given that the goalkeeper is unlikely to generate many opportunities or attempt many shots (although Alisson has provided some unforgettable moments), then 10% is an equal share for each other player present at any given time. Although achieving a flawless split is unattainable, it serves as a respectable initial step nonetheless.

The utilization of FBRef data enhances the significance of the Premier League’s ongoing player of the month. This season, Salah is the only player for any club to have contributed at least 20% to both the expected assists (xA) and the net progress (npxG). By decreasing both markers to 15%, only six players (including Fernandes) are accounted for, indicating that these are the true pivotal men in English football’s top division.

All five senior forwards at Liverpool meet our 10% benchmark for expected goal side effect, with Darwin Nez at 21.8 and Cody Gakpo at 11.4. Szoboszlai and Alexander-Arnold both qualify based on this information (xG was not included in the article), bringing the Reds’ total count of players who have contributed to at least a tenth of the npxG or xA to seven.

Only West Ham has accumulated eight more this season. Undoubtedly, Jarrod Bowen, who is ranked eleventh for the Reds and among the elite group of players with at least 15 percent in both metrics, has been sporadically mentioned as a possible replacement for Mohamed Salah in the future.

Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City all have five “10 per centers,” while United has only three and Newcastle has four. The fact that Liverpool relies on Fernandes demonstrates that its squad and team are the most well-balanced among the top teams in the Premier League. Although Salah continues to maintain the lead, the fact that so many others are assisting him is an added bonus. Consequently, its chances of success this season will only increase.