LFC CHRISTMAS GIFTS

UP THE REDS!
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, December 17, 2023: Liverpool's captain Virgil van Dijk during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester United FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool player ratings vs. Man United: Van Dijk excels, Nunez struggles

Virgil van Dijk was one of few to impress in Liverpool’s 0-0 draw at home to Man United – if only some of the more attacking players could have been as good!

The Reds were dismal at Anfield on Sunday afternoon, blowing a chance to return to the top of the Premier League table.

There was a lack of quality on show across every department – has there been a worse game between the two rivals in recent history? Neither side deserved more than a point.

Here we compare our player ratings with those of the Liverpool Echo, Goal, FotMob and This Is Anfield’s readers.

Van Dijk (7.5) got the highest rating at Anfield, on a largely fautless afternoon by Liverpool’s captain, who is in a rich vein of form.

The Dutchman was reliable in his defensive duties when called into action, and you wonder what may have transpired without him.

TIA’s Henry Jackson described Van Dijk as “dominant when he needed to be, helping extinguish threats,” and Ian Doyle of the Echo called it “another excellent showing.”

Liverpool’s second-best player was Kostas Tsimikas (7.0), who provided energy down the left flank to continue his upturn in form.

Goal’s Tom Maston praised the left-back for producing “a couple of fine crosses that weren’t capitalised upon,” also saying he “did a lot of good defensive work.”

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, December 17, 2023: Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester United FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Also in the top-three were Alisson (6.8) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (6.8), both of whom had good moments and were less culpable than other teammates.

Doyle pointed out that Alisson “stood tall” to thwart Rasmus Hojlund during the first half, while Jackson singled out Alexander-Arnold’s “vital tackle on Garnacho when he was clean through” as a high point in the Scouser’s performance.

The lowest score of the day was shared by Dominik Szoboszlai (4.4) and Darwin Nunez (4.4), both of whom were incredibly frustrating to watch.

The former “looks a shadow of the player who was superb in the opening weeks of the season,” according to Maston, while the latter lost four out of six duels and had only 22 touches, as highlighted by FotMob.

Liverpool’s next game is a League Cup quarter-final clash with West Ham on Wednesday evening (8pm UK), a chance for an immediate response at Anfield before Arsenal make the trip on the weekend.