Liverpool’s Afternoon to Forget: Our Verdict on Every Red

Anfield was buzzing before kickoff, but by full time the home crowd had little to shout about. Arsenal left Merseyside with the points after a tight, scrappy contest in which Liverpool huffed and puffed without ever truly threatening to break down a well organised visiting side. Here is our take on how each man in red graded out, plus a word on the manager’s afternoon in the dugout.

A Defence That Did Its Job, Mostly

Alisson had little to do for long spells but came up with one outstanding stop in the second half when the game was still there to be won, and his distribution was largely tidy bar the loose pass that invited pressure before the goal. In front of him, Ronald Araujo continued to look like a shrewd bit of business, shutting down his side of the pitch with real authority both before and after the break. Jeremy Jacquet was arguably Liverpool’s most impressive performer on the day, full of energy and reading the game well enough to be the standout defender on the pitch. Virgil van Dijk marshalled things calmly without being fully tested, while Milos Kerkez had a mixed afternoon, promising in flashes but wasteful with his delivery when the chance to really hurt Arsenal presented itself.

Midfield Toil Without a Final Punch

Alexis Mac Allister tried to dictate matters after Liverpool’s early breakthrough and was always available to join the attack, even if his influence faded as Arsenal gained a foothold. Trey Nyoni, still so young, had a few nervy touches early on but grew into the contest and gave the midfield a platform, doing enough across the ninety minutes to suggest he is now firmly ahead of Ryan Gravenberch in Andoni Iraola’s thinking. Neither man, though, could find the extra pass or burst that might have turned Liverpool’s control of possession into something more threatening on the scoreboard.

A Front Line That Needed More

This is where the afternoon really got away from Liverpool. Florian Wirtz grew into the game after the break and was often the one looking to unlock Arsenal, but he could not quite find the decisive moment. Alexander Isak will rue the shirt pull that denied him a clear headed chance, and otherwise cut a frustrated figure as the game wore on. Bradley Barcola kept running at his man without enough quality in the final third, and Cody Gakpo, lively early on the right, faded badly after the restart. None of the front three did enough to turn territory into goals, and that profligacy is ultimately what cost Liverpool the points.

Our Bench Marks and the Manager’s Afternoon

Iraola’s selection was broadly sound and his substitutions, Dominik Szoboszlai for energy, Rio Ngumoha for direct running, Lewis Koumas, Kostas Tsimikas and Victor Munoz for fresh legs late on, were sensible if ultimately insufficient to change the complexion of the game against a well drilled Arsenal. The head coach will point to a performance that had control without conviction, and on this evidence his side still need another gear in the final third against the Premier League’s better sides.

Our ratings, out of ten:

• Alisson Becker: 7
• Ronald Araujo: 7
• Milos Kerkez: 6
• Jeremy Jacquet: 8
• Virgil van Dijk: 7
• Alexis Mac Allister: 7
• Trey Nyoni: 6
• Florian Wirtz: 7
• Alexander Isak: 6
• Bradley Barcola: 6
• Cody Gakpo: 6
• Dominik Szoboszlai (sub): 6
• Rio Ngumoha (sub): 6
• Lewis Koumas (sub): 6
• Kostas Tsimikas (sub): 6
• Victor Munoz (sub): 6
• Manager Andoni Iraola: 7