The countdown to the release of FIFA 22 has officially begun, with EA Sports announcing the top 22 rated players in the highly-anticipated new version of the game.
Over the course of the next week, the top 100 players in FIFA 22 will be revealed, and on Monday afternoon, world-beaters from some of Europe's most celebrated clubs were named as the highest-rated players in the game.
Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi tops the ratings with another 93 card, but Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer alongside his Argentinian compatriot in the top two, with the Manchester United returnee ranking at 91, while Robert Lewandowski boasts a 92.
Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne ranks as the joint-highest Premier League player with Ronaldo, and a total of four Liverpool players are among those to be included in the top 22.
Here, Sports Mole looks at the Anfield quartet who have made the cut this year.
Mohamed Salah - 89
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A fitting way to celebrate his 100th Premier League goal, Mohamed Salah is the first name on the list for the Reds, clocking an 89-rated card, which represents a controversial -1 downgrade on his FIFA 21 card.
It was arguably harsh to downgrade the 29-year-old, who enjoyed another 20+ goal haul in the 2020-21 Premier League season and has already banked three goals and two assists from four games in this year's edition.
Salah has been handed a notable pace downgrade from FIFA 21 - going from 93 to 90 this year - while his shooting has been given a +1 upgrade to 87 and his dribbling, physical, passing and defending stats stay the same.
While the 89 may cause controversy, Salah still ranks as the second-highest rated right-winger in the game, only behind six-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi.
Alisson Becker - 89
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Another arguably undeserved downgrade in the Anfield ranks, Alisson Becker enjoyed one year in the 90s before going back down to an 89 for FIFA 22, which was also his rating in FIFA 20.
The Brazilian's dramatic late goal against West Bromwich Albion may have made all the headlines last term, while injuries to Liverpool's backline contributed to a less impressive clean sheet haul - 10 from 33 Premier League matches.
On that basis, a -1 may be warranted, but Alisson's 86 diving and 89 reflexes from FIFA 21 remain untouched, while his handling has taken a -2 hit as his kicking and positioning are downgraded by one, but he still comes in at an impressive 90 rating on the latter stat.
Jan Oblak, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Manuel Neuer all rate higher than Alisson this year, while his 89 rating is also shared by Ederson, Thibaut Courtois and Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Virgil van Dijk - 89
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After spending two years as a 90-rated centre-back, Virgil van Dijk represents the third successive downgrade for Liverpool, with his injury-hit 2020-21 season to blame for that fact.
A ruptured ACL restricted him to just five appearances in the Premier League last season, but Van Dijk has already established himself in the Liverpool backline upon his return from injury, playing every minute of the current campaign and contributing to three clean sheets.
As far as the Dutchman's stats are concerned, Van Dijk has been handed a pace upgrade to 78 from 76, while his remarkable 91 defending remains the same, but his physical rating has dropped from an 86 to an 84.
In spite of his horrific injury, Van Dijk's 89 sees him retain his status as the top-rated centre-back in the game, with no other players in his position making the cut for the top 22.
Sadio Mane - 89
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The 90-89 theme continues for Liverpool as we reach the final Reds player to make the top 22, as Sadio Mane also clocks a -1 downgrade alongside his teammates after boasting a 90-rated card last year.
Mane did not enjoy the best of 2020-21 seasons by his own admission, with the Senegalese attacker claiming 19 Premier League goal contributions in 35 Premier League games, compared to 27 from 35 in his side's title-winning campaign.
Like Salah, Mane's pace has also dropped by three to a 91 from 94, while his dribbling has been downgraded by one to an 89 and his shooting down by two to an 83, but his physical has been given a +1 to a 77.
With Son Heung-min - also 89 rated - classed as a left-midfielder this year, Mane sits as the second-highest left-winger in the game, only behind Neymar and his 91-rated card.
Ben Knapton
