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Henderson? Mane? Van Dijk? Who has been Liverpool's player of the season?

The Sports Mole team select who they believe has been Liverpool's player of the season - will Jordan Henderson, Sadio Mane or Virgil van Dijk get the nod?

Regardless of what happens for the remainder of the coronavirus-affected 2019-20 season, Liverpool's exploits will have a place in the history books.

Jurgen Klopp's side sent records tumbling to take a stranglehold over the title race, with even Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, who had accrued 198 points in the previous two seasons, unable to keep pace.

When play was stopped Liverpool were 25 points clear - the biggest ever Premier League lead - and only six points away from securing a first top-flight title since 1990.

The Merseysiders' record of having dropped only five points from their opening 29 games is the best in the history of Europe's top five leagues at this stage, while they were well on course to smash the previous records for highest points tally and earliest title win, among others.

Predictably, such a successful campaign means that there have been a number of standout performers for Liverpool this season, many of whom are in contention for the overall Premier League Player of the Season award.

Here, though, Sports Mole tries to narrow it down to Liverpool's own best player of an unforgettable 2019-20 campaign.



Barney Corkhill, Editor: Jordan Henderson

Liverpool's Jordan Henderson celebrates after the match on January 23, 2020© Reuters

Jordan Henderson is not just Liverpool's player of the season, but the whole division's player of the season for me. There are more talented players in Klopp's squad and plenty with superior stats in the areas of the field where it really matters too, but the skipper has been the heartbeat of a team which has swept almost all before them this term.

In a team full of superstars it is Henderson who has set the tone, and the fact that his absence from the side coincided with their only real blip in form is no surprise. Liverpool have repeatedly been asked how they have avoided complacency creeping in during such a dominant season, and the simplest answer is Henderson.

The 29-year-old has made more tackles than any other Liverpool player this term in addition to scoring three goals and assisting five, but the stats cannot do justice to his importance to the team. Becoming the first Liverpool captain since Alan Hansen in 1990 to lift the top-flight title will be just reward for a stellar individual campaign.



Matt Law, Football Editor: Virgil van Dijk

Virgil van Dijk in action for Liverpool on March 7, 2020© Reuters

Liverpool's front three all deserve a mention, while Jordan Henderson has been terrific in the middle of midfield for the Reds. For me, though, there is no looking past Van Dijk.

Liverpool just would not be the same side without the Dutchman, who has not missed a single minute of their 2019-20 Premier League season, contributing four goals in the process.

The 28-year-old has played a key role in his side boasting the best defensive record in the league this season, while his pass completion rate in England's top flight this term is just over 89%, which is an indication of his quality.

The centre-back's presence and personality makes him a vital cog in the Liverpool machine, and he deserves, in my opinion, the club's Player of the Season award.



Darren Plant, Senior Reporter: Jordan Henderson

Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson on December 7, 2019© Reuters

Although Liverpool's established front three receive most of the plaudits on a weekly basis, Jordan Henderson was instrumental in ensuring that the Merseyside giants maintained a ruthless winning streak throughout the opening six months of the season, subsequently putting the club on the brink of winning the Premier League title.

However, Henderson should also be credited for his three goals and five assists, with the first two contributions coming in crucial home fixtures with Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.

It should also not go unnoticed that Henderson was sidelined when Liverpool succumbed tamely at Watford for their sole defeat of the top-flight campaign, further highlighting his importance to this team.



Dan Lewis, Senior Reporter: Sadio Mane

Liverpool's Sadio Mane pictured on December 14, 2019© Reuters

Jordan Henderson would be the easy choice here, and the skipper really has been in fine form this season, but for me Sadio Mane has been the driving force behind Liverpool's successful campaign.

Mane has scored 14 times in the Premier League, with those goals helping Liverpool win 18 points, while also chipping in with a further seven assists.

The Senegalese is a player for the big occasions, too, scoring and assisting crucial goals in the narrow wins over Norwich City, West Ham United and Bournemouth just before the season was brought to a premature halt.

Liverpool should be concerned about the ongoing links with an end-of-season move to Real Madrid, with Mane falling into the irreplaceable category.



Ben Knapton, Reporter: Jordan Henderson

Liverpool's Jordan Henderson celebrates scoring against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on October 27, 2019© Reuters

You could argue that nearly every single one of Liverpool's first XI would be a worthy recipient, but Jordan Henderson has truly defined what it means to lead by example this season.

Even though the 29-year-old is not renowned for his goalscoring exploits, he has a respectable return of three goals and five assists in the Premier League this term, and has been the driving force behind Liverpool's storming run to the top of the table.

It remains to be seen how the rest of the season will play out, but Henderson holding the Premier League trophy aloft for Liverpool would be no less than he deserves.

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