Ranking Liverpool's Top 5 Players for April

April was a demanding month for Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, as the pressure continued to mount at the business end of the season—and injuries and unfortunate suspensions followed a similar trajectory.

Klopp and his side took in eight fixtures over the course of the month, while contending with the absences of Jordan Henderson, Emre Can and Divock Origi among others, with injury set to rule the trio out for the season, while Mamadou Sakho's failed drug test has seen UEFA and FIFA combine to suspend the defender.

Despite this, Liverpool enjoyed a fruitful April, unbeaten until their final outing away to Villarreal in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals, including wins over Stoke City, Bournemouth and Everton in the Premier League and an extraordinary comeback victory against Borussia Dortmund in Europe:

• Liverpool 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur, Anfield, April 2
• Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Liverpool, Westfalenstadion, April 7
• Liverpool 4-1 Stoke City, Anfield, April 10
• Liverpool 4-3 Borussia Dortmund, Anfield, April 14
• Bournemouth 1-2 Liverpool, Dean Court, April 17
• Liverpool 4-0 Everton, Anfield, April 20
• Liverpool 2-2 Newcastle United, Anfield, April 23
• Villarreal 1-0 Liverpool, Estadio El Madrigal, April 28

But who were Liverpool's top performers throughout the month of April? Here we subjectively rank the top five, based on overall quality, influence on results and their level of consistency.

Starting with the last-gasp hero against Dortmund at Anfield, Dejan Lovren, here are Liverpool's top five players for April.

5. Dejan Lovren

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Lovren is, predominantly, featured here for his remarkable, last-minute header in the Reds' 4-3 win over Dortmund at Anfield—one of the most enthralling contests in the club's recent history.

Rising above Dortmund striker Adrian Ramos to power home Liverpool's fourth goal of the night, completing a comeback from a 3-1 deficit, Lovren secured a place in the Europa League semi-finals, sending Anfield into raptures.

It may prove to be the single defining moment of not only Liverpool's season, but the Croatian's career, with Lovren enjoying a rapid rise to form under Klopp this spring.

This saw the former Southampton man produce a number of strong performances throughout April, including a composed display alongside Sakho in Liverpool's 4-0 Merseyside derby win at home to Everton.

That Lovren reverted to the limp form of 2014/15 in his first outing in May—a 3-1 loss away to Swansea City—may serve to highlight Sakho's influence on the 26-year-old's output, but Lovren deserves a place in our top five for April nonetheless.

4. Philippe Coutinho

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Since Klopp's arrival at the club in October, Coutinho has assumed an increasing amount of responsibility in the Liverpool attack, as he continues his progress to elite status in European football.

This has seen the Brazilian assume the mantle of a big-game player for the Reds, which saw him score goals against Spurs, Everton and Dortmund in April.

His strike at home to Dortmund, setting the scores at 3-2 on the night, provided the Reds with the motivation to fight back for victory, and his gesture to supporters in the aftermath was reminiscent of former captain Steven Gerrard in Liverpool's UEFA Champions League final comeback win over AC Milan in 2005.

It can be argued that Coutinho's withdrawal through illness at half-time in Liverpool's only defeat of April, the 1-0 loss to Villarreal in the Europa League semi-finals, prompted the Reds' first-leg downfall.

Such is Coutinho's influence, the 23-year-old is central to everything positive about Klopp's side of late.

3. Daniel Sturridge

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That Daniel Sturridge was criticised following Liverpool's defeat away to Swansea at the beginning of May shows the short-term memories of the Merseyside support—with the striker in fine form throughout April.

Sturridge trudged off the field at the final whistle the Liberty Stadium, failing to acknowledge the travelling support after a poor all-round display from the Reds, but after being left out of Liverpool's Europa League semi-final first leg away to Villarreal, this is to be expected from a player with top-level ambitions.

Throughout April, Sturridge backed up these ambitions on the pitch, scoring four goals in seven appearances, averaging a goal every 103 minutes, with consecutive strikes against Stoke, Bournemouth, Everton and Newcastle in the league.

His performance as a lone centre-forward away to Bournemouth hinted at a return to world-class form, as he dominated the Cherries' defence with pace, intelligent movement and clinical finishing.

Frustrated at his lack of support at this late stage in the season, Sturridge's contributions deserve to be recognised.

2. James Milner

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In Henderson's absence, James Milner was tasked with taking up the role of Liverpool's captain as Klopp pushed for European glory and a strong finish in the Premier League.

While Milner had previously struggled with the burden of the armband, the 30-year-old stepped up into key status in April, with his creative talents coming to the fore as he surged into the final third from a central-midfield position.

Milner registered seven assists in seven appearances throughout April, including the winner in Liverpool's triumph over Dortmund, and it was this consistency in his delivery—either from the flanks or on the edge of the penalty—that helped the Reds pick locks in opposition defences over the past month.

Particularly effective operating in a box-to-box role in Klopp's midfield three in the Europa League, Milner may have sealed a long-term future under the German—when many had called for a swift departure at the end of the season.

1. Divock Origi

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While Origi had long looked a phenomenal prospect within the Liverpool squad, April was the month that the young Belgian striker burst into the collective consciousness, with a number of exceptional performances.

A surprise starter in the Europa League quarter-final first leg in Dortmund, Origi led the line with strength and pushed Liverpool forward with pace, grabbing a vital away-goal advantage heading into the return game at Anfield.

Named on the substitutes' bench for the following clash at home to Stoke, Origi was introduced at half-time and promptly scored a brace, including a remarkable cross-shot that soared past goalkeeper Jakob Haugaard.

Origi then scored Liverpool's first goal in their second clash with Dortmund, giving the Reds hope of an unlikely comeback early in the second half, with the youngster playing the full 90 minutes as Klopp's attacking inspiration.

Only turning 21 towards the end of the month, Origi's importance to Klopp's Liverpool side was underlined as he was scythed down by Everton centre-back Ramiro Funes Mori in the Merseyside derby at Anfield, and it is likely his last goal of the season came in that 4-0 victory.

Despite being ruled out until the summer with an ankle injury, Origi's performances throughout April signalled his future role as a key player under Klopp at Liverpool.

Statistics via WhoScored.com and Transfermarkt.co.uk.

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