Ranking Liverpool's Top 3 Players During Opening Weeks of 2014/15 Season

Liverpool's relatively good start to the 2014/15 season has seen them pick up from where they left off the last and has produced a number of standout individual performances from the likes of Raheem Sterling, Dejan Lovren and Jordan Henderson.

Brendan Rodgers' men saw off Southampton on the opening weekend of the season and followed up with a disappointing 3-1 defeat away at Manchester City. However, a near-perfect performance saw Tottenham Hotspur comfortably beaten 3-0 in their most recent Premier League outing.

Despite the Reds looking shaky defensively during the defeat at the hands of the reigning champions, Lovren himself appears to have settled well into a back four that at times struggled for consistency during the previous campaign.

Raheem Sterling has carried his fine form from the back end of last season into this and has been breathtaking both when deployed out wide or at the tip of a midfield diamond.

Simon Mignolet—despite conceding four goals in the Reds' opening two fixtures—has looked in good shape when called upon and, as he did in the opening weeks of last season, has made important saves at important times.

This article will rank the Reds' top three performers during the opening weeks of the season based on their contribution to the cause in each game they have featured in.

Read on to see who made the definitive list and to also find out who just missed out.

Honourable Mention: Dejan Lovren

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Dejan Lovren, despite one or two shaky moments during the defeat at Manchester City, has looked right at home as a member of a Liverpool's back four that was much maligned throughout the course of the 2013/14 season.

Signed from Southampton in the summer, his first outing for the Reds was against his former employers in a hard fought 2-1 victory at Anfield.

The Croatian international looked to have settled well into his new surroundings despite constant jeers from the Saints fans who once worshipped him.

One or two worrying moments away at Manchester City and some questionable positioning was all but forgotten as six days later the Reds put Tottenham Hotspur to the sword at White Hart Lane.

Lovren was immense. His reading of the game, positional sense and general marshalling of a back four that featured a new centre-back partner in Mamadou Sakho was faultless.

It was a close call between Lovren and the man who will feature in third position on the list, but the Croat just misses out, as the Red who sneaks ahead has made a number of important contributions at vital moments.

No. 3: Simon Mignolet

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The Belgian shot stopper has begun the 2014/15 season in similar fashion to the way he started the previous campaign—in fine form.

Despite conceding four goals in the opening two games of the season, the former Sunderland man has made a number of vital saves at vital times.

A brilliant one handed tip onto the crossbar to deny Southampton's Morgan Schneiderlin's late on during the Reds' first outing of the season meant that the three points remained safely in the bag.

Again, when the Reds were just one goal to the good during the 3-0 win at Tottenham, Spurs' Nacer Chadli went clean through on goal but saw his powerful effort brilliantly turned away by Mignolet who had very little to do up until that moment.

The Reds' fairly positive start to the new campaign could have been very different had it not been for the popular goalkeeper.

Mignolet has—like he did early on last season—shown that the sign of a good goalkeeper is one who when having very little to do can still be called upon to make a match-winning save.

No. 2: Jordan Henderson

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Jordan Henderson has come a long way during his three seasons at Anfield.

Once considered by many as a £16 million flop, the combative midfielder is now one of the first names on Brendan Rodgers' team sheet every week.

Henderson has put the disappointment of missing out on a Premier League winner's medal behind him and been the driving force of the Reds' midfield during the opening weeks of the season.

Raheem Sterling opened the Reds' goalscoring account for the new campaign but it was arguably the Steven Gerrard-esque through ball from Henderson that made Sterling's job easy.

The England international was also one of Liverpool's pluses during a day of disappointment at Manchester City. Despite finishing the game on the losing side, Henderson was always lively, always working hard and always looking to make something happen.

The former Sunderland man would go on to notch his second assist of the season as the Reds comfortably disposed of Tottenham 3-0 at White Hart Lane.

As was the case against Southampton, a Henderson pass to Sterling opened the scoring and set the Reds on their way to three valuable points.

It is testament to just how far the midfielder has come in a Red shirt that following Daniel Agger's move back to Brondby, it is Henderson's name on most fans' lips as the man they would like to see named as the side's new vice-captain.

No. 1: Raheem Sterling

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Raheem Sterling has started this season in the exact same way he ended the last—in absolutely scintillating form.

The tricky Sterling has been the real bright spark in the Reds' opening to the new campaign and already has two goals to his name.

The England international opened the scoring in both of his side's victories this season, on both occasions latching on to a Jordan Henderson pass to show that goals can be a big part of his game.

Sterling's talent and commitment last season was never in question, but whether he had a consistent end product sometimes was, but in the early weeks of this season it appears as though the youngster has silenced any doubters.

Sterling has already found himself deployed out wide and at the tip of the diamond, showing that his versatility as well as his talent could be vital if the Reds are to mount another serious title challenge this time out.

The winger carried his fine club form onto the international stage, earning the Three Lions a penalty during their friendly win over Norway, then providing an assist for Danny Welbeck's opening goal during England's 2-0 win in Switzerland just days later.

With Sterling, the Reds have a real talent on their hands and if—as reported by Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail—Real Madrid are indeed sniffing around, Brendan Rodgers and the Liverpool hierarchy will want to do all they can to ensure their prized asset remains on Merseyside for the foreseeable future.

Sterling tops this list simply down to his all round performances during the opening weeks of the new season. He has without question been the Reds standout performer and has notched the vital opening goal that set his side on their way to victory in both wins so far.