Martin Skrtel
The onus was on the Slovakian to perform this season, following the departures of Jamie Carragher (in 2013) and Daniel Agger (in 2014), which left him as comfortably our most senior defender. He’s often found himself playing alongside comparative youngsters in Emre Can and Mamadou Sakho and he’s helped them develop as well.
The Premier League table speaks volumes here. Last season we conceded 50 goals in our 38 games, this season we’ve conceded just 38, with only three games remaining. It’s much needed progress from a defensive unit that essentially cost us the title last season, back when scoring goals was incredibly easy for Luis Suarez and co.
Skrtel’s no-nonsense style is integral to the way we play at the back and that fact was thoroughly underlined by our heavy defeat at the hands of Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium last month – when the 30-year-old was suspended. There’s no way we would have conceded the goals that we did if we’d have had Skrtel in the team that day.
