Ranking Liverpool's Top 3 Players of 2013-14 Season So Far

With almost a third of the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League campaign already passed, Liverpool and manager Brendan Rodgers can look back on the opening 11 games as a job well done.

Following a disappointing home defeat to Southampton in September, the Reds have tasted defeat on only one other occasion—a 2-0 reverse to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in the early weeks of November.

The likes of Simon Mignolet and Kolo Toure have settled in well to their new surroundings, while Daniel Sturridge has picked up from where he left off last season.

The usual suspects, Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard, have been as influential as ever in propelling the Reds into second position in the table and proving they can mix it with the best.

This article will select Liverpool's best three players so far this season—in the opinion of the writer—taking into account how well they have performed and the influence they have had both on the team and on results.

Read on to see which three players have made the definitive list and which player has earned an honourable mention. 

Honourable Mention: Jordan Henderson

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After struggling for form in his first couple of seasons as a Liverpool player, Jordan Henderson has grasped the chance offered to him by Brendan Rodgers in the opening months of the 2013/14 season.

Henderson has started every one of his side's 11 Barclays Premier League games.

Playing in his preferred role in central midfield, he has shone alongside the likes of Steven Gerrard, Philippe Coutinho and Lucas.

Although yet to open his goal-scoring account for the new season, the amount of ground he covers on a game-by-game basis has not gone unnoticed by the Anfield faithful.

Henderson is more than just a workhorse, though. His decision-making skills, eye for a pass and ability to arrive late in the opposition's penalty area have improved considerably.

He has come close to breaking his season's duck on numerous occasions and was rewarded with his first assist of the campaign in the recent 4-0 home victory over Fulham.

The Sunderland-born midfielder took control of the ball in the opposition half and played a Gerrard-esque ball into the feet of Luis Suarez, who gave the pass the finish it deserved.

While Henderson still appears to divide opinion amongst a number of Liverpool fans, there can be no argument that he has come on leaps and bounds under Brendan Rodgers. The effort and commitment he shows every game has earned him an honourable mention in this list.

No. 3: Simon Mignolet

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If a few eyebrows were raised when Brendan Rodgers allowed Pepe Reina to depart Anfield and replaced him with Simon Mignolet, they would have been quickly lowered after the first 90 minutes of the Belgian's Liverpool career.

With the Reds leading Stoke 1-0 at Anfield in their opening game of the league season, the visitors were awarded a late penalty, which looked like earning them an undeserved point.

However, Mignolet had other ideas, and palmed away Jonathan Walters' powerful penalty kick to the delight of his teammates, manager and fans.

The save would be the goalkeeper's platform for a run of games in which he was outstanding.

Match-winning saves in 1-0 victories over Aston Villa and Manchester United would earn him instant hero status amongst Liverpool fans.

Despite at times looking shaky with the ball at his feet and perhaps lacking the ball skills of his predecessor, the Reds have without doubt got themselves a fine young goalkeeper who will only improve.

It has been said for a long time that Liverpool need more match-winners and for too long they have relied on Steven Gerrard to be that man.

However, they now appear to have a goalkeeper on whom they can rely when called upon—who won't lose concentration when faced with nothing to do for large periods of a game and can still make that all-important match-winning save.

Reds fans will always be grateful for the service given to them by Pepe Reina, but in Mignolet—just like his predecessor—they have a man who could very well go down as one of the club's all-time greatest goalkeepers.

No. 2: Luis Suarez

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Due to the now infamous bite of Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic at the back end of last season, Suarez missed his side's opening five league fixtures through suspension.

Astonishingly, he has eight goals in the six games since his return (via ESPN) and sits alongside Sergio Aguero and teammate Daniel Sturridge at the top of the Premier League goal-scoring chart.

The controversial Uruguayan has formed a lethal and at times telepathic understanding with the aforementioned Sturridge, and all his goals so far have come in victories.

Suarez announced to the world that he was well and truly back during his first league outing of the season. The prolific striker scored two goals in his side's 3-1 victory over Sunderland.

A somewhat below-par performance during his side's 2-0 defeat to Arsenal aside, Suarez has picked up exactly where he left off last season, scoring all types of goals both at Anfield and on the road.

Although Liverpool were impressive without Suarez in the opening weeks of the new season, there were instances when they appeared to lack creativity, relying on one goal to get the job done.

Since his return, the Reds have scored 16 goals in six games, losing only once.

Like him or not, the boy is sheer quality. If he had been available from the start of the season, he would without doubt be topping the list. 

No. 1: Daniel Sturridge

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The majority of Liverpool fans will probably admit to being worried when Luis Suarez was ruled out of the start of the 2013/14 season through suspension.

They need not have been.

One man stepped up to the plate and proved that he can be the Reds' central striker and the focal point of their attack if needed.

Their "main man," so to speak.

Goals for the Liverpool team as a whole were hardly flowing during the opening weeks of the season, but for Sturridge, they were coming along nicely.

Three goals in three consecutive 1-0 wins meant Brendan Rodgers' men coped well enough without their star Uruguayan.

Winning goals against Stoke, Aston Villa and Manchester United were followed by goals against Swansea City, Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Newcastle United and West Brom.

These strikes see him sit alongside Suarez on eight league goals.

Sturridge has proved to be a real asset since his January move from Chelsea and his partnership with Suarez is only going to get better.

With that being said, it is Sturridge's performances in Suarez's absence that means he pips his teammate into first place on this list.

Despite Suarez having a superior goals-to-game ratio since his return, Sturridge almost single-handedly carried the Reds' goal-scoring burden in the opening weeks of the season.

There were a good half-dozen players that could have made the definitive list, so comment below if you think a particular Reds player should have made the list, stating reasons why.