Liverpool drew 0-0 with Tottenham at White Hart Lane in Jurgen Klopp‘s first game in charge, we assess each player.
Tottenham 0–0 Liverpool
Premier League – White Hart Lane – Saturday 17th October 2015
Simon Mignolet (out of 10)-8
A really impressive day at the office for Liverpool’s keeper, whose performance was pivotal in terms of his side earning a point.
Mignolet made terrific stops to deny Clinton N’Jie and Harry Kane in the first-half, and he also thwarted the Englishman after the break.
His kicking remains iffy, but his shot stopping ability is top drawer.
Clyne produced a typically solid performance at right-back, displaying exactly why he is such a good signing for the Reds.
He was immaculate defensively from start to finish, but also got forward effectively on a few occasions. Glen Johnson seems a distant memory now.
Martin Skrtel- 5
A poor performance from Skrtel, who is increasingly looking like one of Liverpool’s weakest players.
Time and time again Kane got the better of the 30-year-old, and his decision-making and overall dependability were just not good enough. Improved in the second-half but was especially sloppy in the first 45.
Mamadou Sakho- 8
An outstanding display from the Frenchman, who continues to stake a claim to be one of the first names on the Reds team-sheet.
Every aspect of Sakho’s game was superb, from his brilliant use of the ball to his dominance in the air, and he was quite comfortably his side’s Man of the Match on the day.
Alberto Moreno– 6.5
A decent outing for the likeable Spaniard, although he will probably enjoy more noticeable showings in the months and years to come.
The 23-year-old was largely solid, barring the odd slight lapse on the ball, and he kept the in-form Erik Lamela extremely quiet throughout.
Lucas Leiva– 7.5
Lucas will never be the most spectacular player, but it is in matches such as these when the Brazilian comes to the fore.
His passing was crisp and concise and he read the ball expertly, while his pressing was admirable despite his lack of legs. Quietly influential, but Jurgen Klopp will definitely have noticed.
Emre Can– 7
Can is a player you feel will grow under Klopp’s tutelage, and he displayed a maturity in midfield that he hasn’t always shown during his time at Anfield.
The youngster was a powerful presence in the middle of the park, but there were also some delightful touches that outlined his huge natural talent.
The perfect foil for Lucas.
James Milner– 5
Things haven’t quite worked out for Milner at Liverpool yet, and he was again disappointing.
The former Man City man was loose in possession, reckless in the tackle and generally on the periphery of things at all times.
He needs to start showing that he has more than just an exceptional work-rate.
Adam Lallana– 6
Lallana started very impressively, but he became more and more unnoticed as the match progressed.
The usual tricks and flicks were there for all to see, as was his admirable work-rate, but Liverpool need a bit more substance from him in the final third.
By Coutinho’s incredibly high standards, this was a pretty poor showing from Liverpool’s star man.
The usual attacking threat just wasn’t really there at any point, and his decision-making at crucial times was frustrating.
The 23-year-old has been a little disappointing of late, but it’s only a matter of time before he comes good again.
Divock Origi– 6
With Daniel Sturridge and Danny Ings out injured, Origi was given the task of leading the line against Mauricio Pochettino’s team.
In truth, the Belgian just never did enough to show he is remotely ready to start regular matches, although he did hit the crossbar with an early header.
The 20-year-old has huge potential, but he felt like the difference between Liverpool drawing the game and nicking a win.
Substitutes
Joe Allen (on for Lallana ’81)- n’a
No time to make an impact for the Welshman, but he was neat and tidy.
Jordon Ibe (on for Coutinho ’87)- n/a
Looked lively in his very brief time on the pitch, but couldn’t justify a rating.
Jurgen Klopp– 7.5
Klopp is an unbelievably popular appointment at Liverpool, but he has made a point of asking people to judge him after his first game. He passed with flying colours.
The relentless pressing he so craves was evident in the first 20 minutes, and there was so much more purpose about the Reds’ play in general.
It worked far better not playing Milner in central midfield, and the defence looked far more assured than it did during most of Brendan Rodgers’ tenure. The 4-2-3-1 formation is the way forward.
Liverpool will only improve under Klopp.
> Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp draws first game as Reds manager
> “We look like a team again” – Reds fans react to Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool
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[statsfc-player-rater key=2dCG2IPndnJBm4GL141AFJQnx7Wsl6gT3JGGW02u team=Liverpool date=2015-10-17 default_css=false]
TOTTENHAM 0-0 LIVERPOOL
PLAYER RATINGS – Top performers for Reds
TALKING POINTS – Mignolet, Sakho, Pressing and more
ANALYSIS – Sakho impresses, Skrtel struggles
FAN REACTION – Happy enough
KLOPP POST-MATCH – Full video of press conference
Fan Comments