Anfield and Emirates Stadium stars amongst the best performing players in Europe’s top five leagues in January. Read Europe’s statistically best XI in January 2014 here.
Statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com
GK: Danijel Subasic (AS Monaco)
AS Monaco played three matches in January 2014, and conceded just a single goal.
Much of that was down to the form of goalkeeper Danijel Subasic, who made sixteen saves between the three games, one of which was a penalty.
RB: Coke (Sevilla)
Sevilla enjoyed a solid January, winning one, drawing two and losing one of their four matches, but right back Coke played particularly well.
The 26 year-old was consistently excellent throughout the month, bombing forward and keeping things tight at the back – and was the best player on the pitch as Sevilla kept Atletico Madrid to an impressive draw.
He also scored in the final game of the month against Levante UD.
LB: Layvin Kurzawa (AS Monaco)
21 year-old left back Layvin Kurzawa is one of the most exciting players in his position in Europe at present, and his recent performances certainly emphasise that point.
The Frenchman scored in two of his team’s three games in January, as well as performing his defensive duties diligently.
CB: Gonzalo Rodriguez (Fiorentina)
Fiorentina went unbeaten throughout the month of January, winning two and drawing two of their four matches.
The presence of Gonzalo Rodriguez in the heart of their back four is a reassuring presence for I Viola, as with the Argentine centre back in their side, they conceded one goal in three matches.
Without him, they conceded three in one game.
CB: Daniele Gastaldello (Sampdoria)
Sampdoria lost three of their five fixtures in January, largely thanks to a brutal fixture list that took in games against Napoli, AS Roma and Juventus.
However, the standout Samp player in each game was Italian centre half Daniele Gastaldello, who has been consistently the team’s best player this season, thanks to averages of 2.1 tackles, 3.2 interceptions and 7.7 clearances each Serie A match.
CM: Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
Real Madrid won every single one of their six matches in January without conceding a single goal.
As well as performing impressive defensive work in his box to box role, Luka Modric provided considerable creative threat too, with four assists in those six games.
The Croatian is now one of the very first names on Carlo Ancelotti’s team sheet.
CM: Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)
One of the most impressive aspects of Arsenal’s season has been the way certain players have considerably raised their game when others have been either absent through injury or out of form.
With Aaron Ramsey currently sidelined, it has been Jack Wilshere who has come to the fore for the Gunners, with one goal and three assists in four games in January.
RM: Alexis Sanchez (FC Barcelona)
Barca winger Alexis Sanchez has made a real step up this season, proving his mettle in the absence of key men Lionel Messi and Neymar.
The Chilean played a part in all seven of the Catalan side’s games in January, scoring six times and providing two assists.
After an unconvincing start to his career at Camp Nou, the FC Barcelona faithful are now really starting to embrace Alexis Sanchez.
LM: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Every team knows that Real Madrid’s game plan goes through Cristiano Ronaldo, but that doesn’t make him an easy player to stop.
The Portuguese superstar scored five times and provided two assists in eight matches, and is a huge threat in every single match he plays.
CF: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint-Germain)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic leads both goals and assist charts for PSG this season, and the mercurial Sweden international maintained his impressive form in January.
Ibra managed three goals and three assists in Paris Saint-Germain’s six matches in the first month of 2014, and continues to inspire the Ligue 1 champions from the front each game.
CF: Luis Suarez (Liverpool)
Luis Suarez has played so well for Liverpool this season that fans and the media have openly begun to wonder if he could be as good as the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
The Uruguay forward seems a certainty to be awarded the player of the year awards in England, thanks to his tremendous form throughout the campaign, and in January he has been as impressive as ever.
Suarez scored four goals and provided three assists in the Reds’ five games, and if he continues in this vein of form he could help the Anfield side reach the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2009-10.