Allen among trio of unsung Liverpool players due some praise

Philippe Countinho may be the Kop’s new darling, but during this steep upturn in Liverpool’s fortunes a few other cogs in the wheel of success have crept under the radar.

With the ‘little magician’ having waved his wand with top-corner bound precision in successive Premier League games, Liverpool’s Brazilian playmaker deserves all the plaudits mounted on his diminutive shoulders.

His recent strikes against Southampton and latterly Manchester City were goal-of-the-season contenders in their own right, while each one’s significance in the race for the top-four spots cannot be underestimated given the opposition.

However, during this charge towards the promised land of Champions League qualification, where the Reds’ chances have now shrunk to a seasonal low of 5/4, these three players warrant soaking up just a few beams of the limelight.

Joe Allen

Although the Welshman has been a fleeting presence in the team through a combination of injury and omission this season, Allen has seized his chance lately.

Allen does the simple thing of receiving the ball and moving it on quickly better than any other player in Brendan Rodgers’ ranks, which is why the Northern Irishman forked out £15m to pack him in his suitcase when leaving Swansea.

The Reds have won five of the last six games the Welsh international has started, meaning Steven Gerrard and/or Lucas will have trouble shifting the busy midfielder once recovered from their respective injuries.

Simon Mignolet

No player has mirrored the night-and-day nature of Liverpool’s season better than their net minder.

Cagey and at times calamitous, especially when attempting to claim crosses early in the season, Mignolet has displayed rigid mental resilience to rise above the criticism and his performances have kept improving.

Seven clean sheets in his last 14 outings, brought about by lightning reflexes on several occasions, speak volumes about the Belgian.

Alberto Moreno

Another to have struggled in the dark days of late summer and autumn as the pace of the Premier League caught the former Sevilla left-back by surprise.

To the Spaniard’s enormous credit he has grown into his role on the left-hand side of the 3-4-3 formation where he has made the position his own during this long unbeaten league stretch.

By no means the finished article, Moreno looks like turning out to be one of Rodgers’ best summer signings.

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