Player Ratings

LEWIS STEELE at the Emirates Stadium

2024-01-08 -

AARON RAMSDALE 7 Excellent reflex stop to deny Diaz in the 77th minute. Could do nothing about the goals.

BEN WHITE 6 ENJOYED his battles with Diaz and Nunez but did not get forward as well as usual.

WILLIAM SALIBA 7 KEPT Liverpool forwards quiet for much of the match. Booked for a tug on Jota.

GABRIEL 7 Decent blocks, won his duels and made several crucial interventions to deny Nunez and Diaz.

JAKUB KIWIOR 5 STRUGGLED when Diaz swapped to his side in the second half. Hard luck for the own goal.

MARTIN ODEGAARD 7 PULLED the strings in the first half and would have had a hatful of assists if not for his team-mates.

JORGINHO 6.5 SAT deep to dictate play and allow Rice to roam. Kept the ball well but did not have much impact.

DECLAN RICE 5 Good interceptions but is in a mid-season dip and not affecting games as he did at start of campaign.

BUKAYO SAKA 6 GAVE Gomez a tough day but lacked the final ball. Shanked two efforts over in the second half.

KAI HAVERTZ 6 GOT his opportunity up front with Gabriel Jesus injured but he missed chance after chance.

REISS NELSON 6 ADDED energy and verve to Arsenal’s left flank but fluffed his lines when given two big chances.

SUBSTITUTES

Martinelli 6 (for Nelson, 62min); Nketiah (for Jorginho 82); Smith Rowe (for Havertz 88); Trossard (for Kiwior 88).

MIKEL ARTETA 5 HIS side faded after the first half. Many of his substitutions were too late and did not work.

ALISSON 7 FORCED into several key saves. Commanding on crosses as usual and flawless distribution.

T ALEXANDER-ARNOLD 7 DICTATED play from his inverted role. Beautiful set-piece delivery for Liverpool’s opening goal.

IBRAHIMA KONATE 8 NEARLY as imperious as he was against Arsenal at Anfield with several telling blocks at 0-0.

JARELL QUANSAH 7 A SCARY moment for threadbare Liverpool when he went down hurt, but he soldiered on.

JOE GOMEZ 6.5 GOT away with one in the first half when robbed by Saka. Covered a lot of ground down the left.

CODY GAKPO 6.5 IN AN unusual midfield role and offered little going forward in the first half.

ALEXIS MAC ALLISTER 6.5

GOT on the ball well in his first start for a month but was overrun by Arsenal when defending.

CURTIS JONES 6.5

LIVERPOOL’S most underrated player, never stops running. Did not get fully into this game.

HARVEY ELLIOTT 7

A BIG month ahead as he deputises for Mo Salah. Has a wicked dead-ball delivery.

DARWIN NUNEZ 7.5

NOT his best night in front of goal but was a big threat down the left in the second half.

LUIS DIAZ 7.5

SOMETIMES it looks like he overthinks but got his reward with the second goal.

SUBSTITUTES

Jota 7 (for Gakpo 59min); Gravenberch 6 (for Mac Allister 59); Clark 7 (for Elliott 75); Bradley 7 (for Jones 75).

JURGEN KLOPP 8 HALF-TIME switch moving Nunez to the left, Diaz to the right and Elliott into midfield worked a treat.

REFEREE JOHN BROOKS 7 Few incidents but handled it well.

ATTENDANCE 58,5 8