With their 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield this week, Liverpool reclaimed top-spot from fellow title-challengers Manchester City and ensured that they remain undefeated at home in almost two years, across 37 games, the second-longest streak in Premier League history.
One particular player in red who stood out for particular praise was left-back Andrew Robertson, the Scotsman producing a typically tireless performance, registering a sublime contribution in providing Roberto Firmino’s opener, and was promptly voted Player of the Match by BBC readers.
Robertson has now registered nine assists this Premier League season, better than his tally of five from the previous campaign and represents the best contribution from a player in a backline in the EPL this year.
He now has more than teammate Mohamed Salah and such distinguished names as Joao Moutinho and Bernardo Silva, and is level with Paul Pogba, Christian Eriksen, and Raheem Sterling.
Combined with the teammate on the opposite flank, Trent Alexander-Arnold, that’s a combined 15 goals being created because of the two full-backs for Liverpool, or just three less than Huddersfield Town as an entire side, have scored this season in total.
For a defender, the 25-year-old Robertson is now just two behind Everton duo Andy Hinchcliffe and Leighton Baines, who individually registered highs of 11 in the 1994/95 and 2010/11 seasons, respectively.
Though Hinchcliffe achieved that in a 42-game season, it was from 29 appearances, one fewer than Robertson has managed so far. Baines is also the first defender to ever reach half a century of Premier League assists, setting the milestone against Burnley at Goodison Park in April 2018.
Robertson, who has missed just two league games this season, now has a further six fixtures to try and surpass that single-campaign tally that has stood as a benchmark for a full-back for the past quarter-century.
Southampton, Chelsea, Cardiff City, Huddersfield, Newcastle United, and Wolverhampton Wanderers are the remaining opponents for Liverpool before the season’s conclusion, where Robertson can hope to register three more assists.
Robertson is currently sitting on a haul only previously registered by two other players, aside from the aforementioned Toffees duo; Nicky Shorey, the left-back who became first Reading player to represent England in almost 100 years, in the 2007/08 season and Mark Venus for Ipswich Town in 2001/2002.
Robertson is also topping the table for most assists for a Scottish defender in the Premier League, tallying 18, accumulated across his so-far two-year stint on Merseyside, and previously with Hull City. He has now surpassed John Arne Risse as the top-assist provider for a Liverpool defender in a single season, the Norwegian great having contributed seven across the 2004/05 season.
Furthermore, such is Liverpool’s impressiveness this season, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if Robertson’s teammate Alexander-Arnold manages to overtake that tally before 18/19’s end as well.
Both of Robertson and TAA’s defensive prowess has also assisted in allowing Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson to claim a league-high 17 clean-sheets, with Jurgen Klopp’s side letting in just 19 goals this season, again claiming the Premier League gold standard thus far this season.
The fact that the two cost a combined total of £8million - Alexander-Arnold having risen up through the academy ranks - makes their contribution, and Klopp’s organisation of this Liverpool side, even more outstanding.
