David Raya – 6
Hard to rate higher than a 6 as he didn’t have a lot to do. I’m not sure I remember a quieter goalkeeping performance away at Anfield in recent memory. Commanding his box well, distribution was good, aside from one poor pass that fortunately went unpunished. Needs to cut these odd mistakes from his game as it’s becoming one a game at present. No chance with the goal.
Best moment:
Really hard to pick. The only save I remember Raya making was pushed out into the danger zone, which end up being turned home by an offside Ekitike Claimed a few dangerous crosses with ease.
Jurrien Timber – 7
Another solid performance to let Ben White know that he will have to fight to earn back his place in the team. Lacks a bit of the attacking impetus that White brings but this is offset by his superb one on one defending. Don’t remember him losing any duels as he locked down his side of the pitch effectively.
Best moment:
William Saliba – 5
Can’t rate any higher as he was on the pitch for a matter of minutes.
Best moment: Had very few moments on the pitch due to injury so I’ll say the moment that he felt his injury but decided to try and play the game anyway. Probably not a sound decision in some ways but shows commitment to the cause.
Gabriel – 7
Committed and intense as usual. Really seems to relish these big games. Defending well throughout, limiting Liverpool to long range shots.
Best moment: Loved the way he stopped Salah in his tracks, albeit illegally, when he got the wrong side of him. There was no way the big Brazilian was letting him get away! Thunderous shot from outside the box that was blocked by Konate.
Riccardo Calafiori – 8
Always positive with the ball and had a few shots on goal which unfortunately failed to trouble Alisson in the Liverpool goal. It was Calafiori’s work at the other end of the pitch that really caught the eye though, limiting one of the world’s great right wingers to very little. Quick to close down space and never gave Salah an inch all game.
Best moment: There was one instance where Salah did his usual shimmy onto his right before coming back onto to his left and you could just see him opening up his body for that trademark curler to the far corner but Calafiori was so quick on his feet and was already there waiting to hound him out without any really shot of note coming in.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Martin Zubimendi – 7
Seems to be improving game by game. Put in some solid tackles and interceptions and kept the midfield ticking over nicely. One lapse allowed Curtis Jones goal side which lead to Zubimendi conceding the match winning free kick but given the distance from goal, I think he would normally get away with conceding such a free kick, so hard to mark him down too harshly as a result.
Best moment: Think it’s going to be a feature of his game this year but there’s often not many standout moments in his performances. Zubimendi does the same thing, over and over again and does it very, very well. I don’t think he’s going to be a fireworks sort of a player.
Mikel Merino – 6
Preferred to Nwaneri in the absence of Martin Odegaard and in truth he did little to effect the game from an attacking perspective. Some nice touches here and there and full of running and the midfield definitely looked more solid with him in there. However, on a day where Arsenal lacked a bit of cutting edge in the final third, you are left wondering what might have happened if a more natural 10 like Nwaneri or Trossard had been given the nod.
Best moment: Lovely ball to find Gyokeres which on another day could have been the telling contribution that swung the day in our favour.
Declan Rice – 7
Much more like it from Declan Rice as he put in a tireless display from minute one. Some lovely passes and he just looked a bit fitter, more like Declan Rice of last season, than the previous two games. One horrendous free kick that needs no further comment.
Best moment: A crucial blog when Raya gave the ball away. Somehow made up the ground to snuff out the danger and keep the game goalless.
Noni Madueke – 7
Another lively performance from Madueke. Very direct and always full of running. Continues the good start to his Arsenal career. Just need some goals now!
Best moment: Snapshot from the edge of the box following a corner that forced Allisson into the only real save of note.
Viktor Gyokeres – 6
Didn’t really get a kick today but in his defence, he is playing against the best central defensive pairing outside of London N5 and the midfield was a bit disjointed behind him. Full of running as always but hard to do much else when starved of service.
Best moment: Again, difficult to call because he really didn’t have much to shout about all game as he was starved of service and well marshalled on the occasions he did get on the ball.
Gabriel Martinelli – 5
A concerning performance. Anfield has been a fruitful hunting ground for Martinelli in the past but he was ineffective today. In contrast to the positive, direct, Madueke on the opposite flank, Martinelli looked indecisive and short of ideas when facing up his fullback. I had high hopes for him prior to kick off, seeing that he would be up against someone playing out of position, but I don’t remember Martinelli beating him. Put in a hell of a shift defensively, which is why the mark is higher than it would have been.
Best moment:
Not a specific moment as such but an unbelievable work ethic as he tracked back at speed on numerous occasions.
Substitutes:
Cristhian Mosquera – 8
Close to a player of the match performance given the circumstances that he was thrown into one of the biggest games of his young career to date. Introduced with four minutes gone in place of the usually irreplaceable William Saliba, Mosquera did a fine impression in the former’s stead. There were shaly moments, as you would expect, but by and large he was solid, calm and very little got passed him. His brief cameo against Leeds at full back was a glimpse of what he could do whereas this was a much fuller impression and the signs looks very good indeed!
Martin Odegaard – 6
Looking lively and threatening in his brief cameo. Could he have been introduced a bit earlier?
Eberechi Eze – 6
A joy to see him run out onto the pitch in the famous red and white shirt for his debut but ultimately he will be looking back at way could have been. Superb link up as part of one of, if not his first, touches with Martin Odegaard which so nearly played in Gyokeres, gave a hint of what was to come from Eze. He then found himself through on goal but frustratingly was not able to get a shot away. More to come from him but not able to stop Arsenal from sliding to our first defeat of the season.
Max Dowman – 5
No fireworks from Dowman this time around as he failed to get the better of his fullback on any occasion. Still amazing to be thrown into the action in such a massive game when we needed a goal though. Underlines the faith that the Manager has in the youngster.