LONDON — The Arsenal vs Liverpool player ratings were a lot of fun to dish out as an epic clash between title rivals played out at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
[ MORE: Recap, analysis, reaction ]
Arsenal prevailed against 10-man Liverpool to blow the title race wide open.
Bukayo Saka gave Arsenal the lead before a bizarre own goal from Gabriel after an Arsenal defensive mistake made it 1-1.
An even worse mistake gave all three points to Arsenal as Gabriel Martinelli finished off after Alisson and Virgil van Dijk got themselves into a heck of a mess. Late on Leandro Trossard made it 3-1 as he smashed home from a tight angle on the counter to rub further salt into Liverpool’s wounds.
Below are the Arsenal vs Liverpool player ratings in full, with marks out of 10 and analysis on each player.
Arsenal player ratings
David Raya: 6 - Made a mistake for Liverpool’s goal. Should have come out to get the ball.
Ben White: 7 - Some great defending and got forward well too. Lovely cheeky nutmeg on Jones.
William Saliba: 6 - Should have cleared the ball before Liverpool’s goal. Fine other than that.
Gabriel: 7 - Unlucky on the own goal and did well to play the ball out of the back and step high on Jota and Co.
Oleksandr Zinchenko: 5 - Liverpool’s attacks came down his side in the first half and subbed off at half time presumably due to injury.
Declan Rice: 8 - A ball-winning machine in midfield and helped stop Liverpool counters on numerous occasions. Won the midfield battle.
Martin Odegaard: 7 - Worked so hard defensively and great ball forward to Havertz on Saka’s goal.
Jorginho: 8 - So tidy in everything he did. The correct decision to put him in for this type of game. Used his experience brilliantly to calm things down and wrestle back control of the game.
Bukayo Saka: 8 - Took his goal really well and was a huge threat in the first half. Subbed off with an injury late on but looked like nothing more than a precaution.
Kai Havertz: 7 - Played really well in the central role. Should have scored the first but made great runs and dragged Liverpool’s defenders out.
Gabriel Martinelli: 8 - Scored the second and worked incredibly hard down the left. Gave Alexander-Arnold
a torrid time. Ran himself into the ground and set the tone.
Substitutions
Jakub Kiwior: 7 - On at half time for Zinchenko and defended really well and got an assist and almost scored a header.
Reiss Nelson: 6 - On for Saka and played his part to keep Arsenal on the front foot late on.
Leandro Trossard: 7 - Got his goal and always a threat on the counter to clinch the win.
Liverpool player ratings
Alisson: 4 - Usually so calm but Alisson and Van Dijk got in a heck of a mess on Arsenal’s second goal. Klopp couldn’t believe it and Alisson should have lumped the ball clear on that goal and he was nutmegged on Arsenal’s third to cap a bad day at the office.
Trent Alexander-Arnold: 5 - Martinelli gave him a rough outing. A few decent crosses in but Liverpool took him off to try and keep their point. Perhaps that backfired?
Ibrahima Konate: 5 - Dragged all over the place by Havertz and badly out of position on Arsenal’s opening goal. He and Van Dijk weren’t on the same page. Sent off late on for two yellows.
Virgil van Dijk: 4 - Played his part in Alisson’s big error as he shouldn’t have let the ball over the top drop for Martinelli’s goal. Caught playing too high on Arsenal’s opener and his deflection for Arsenal’s third summed up a tough day.
Joe Gomez: 5 - Did okay at left back and right back after being booked early but a tough assignment against this Arsenal attack.
Ryan Gravenberch: 5 - Couldn’t have any impact on the game as Arsenal pressed high in the first half. Nice ball to Diaz for their goal. Subbed off early in the second.
Alexis Mac Allister: 6 - Had a few efforts from distance which flew just wide. Did his best to keep Liverpool going.
Curtis Jones: 5 - Struggled to make an impact on the game other than one shot he flashed just wide in the second half.
Cody Gakpo: 5 - Could have finished a cross into the box in the first half but didn’t get into the game and subbed off early in the second.
Diogo Jota: 5 - Not his usual lively self. Worked hard but missed that bit of zip in the final third.
Luis Diaz: 7 - Forced Liverpool’s goal through determination and always a threat on the counter.
Substitutions
Darwin Nunez: 6 - Tried so hard and blasted a good shot way over.
Andy Robertson: 5 - Couldn’t really get into the game in an attacking sense.
Harvey Elliott: 6 - Worked his way into good positions but couldn’t deliver the crucial final ball.
Thiago Alcantara: N/A
