LFC CHRISTMAS GIFTS

UP THE REDS!

Liverpool player ratings vs. Arsenal as Alisson & Co. pay for their mistakes

Alisson was the unfortunate player to attract all the wrong attention in Liverpool’s wretched 3-1 loss at Arsenal on Sunday, but he was far from alone in having a stinker.

The Reds were poor in a huge Premier League clash at the Emirates, never deserving to return north with anything other than a defeat.

Bukayo Saka opened the scoring in a dominant first-half performance by the Gunners, but Gabriel’s own goal gifted Jurgen Klopp‘s side a fortunate equaliser.

A horrible mix-up between Virgil van Dijk and Alisson then allowed Gabriel Martinelli to tap home, before Leandro Trossard completed the scoring.

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

Unfortunately, this was a day to focus on the bad instead of the good.

Alisson (3.5) got the worst overall rating at the Emirates, with the Brazilian choosing a terrible game to have a stinker.

Ian Doyle of the Echo thought he was a “bit overly risky with distribution,” adding that he was “very much at fault for the second and third.”

TIA’s Henry Jackson described it as a “disastrous” day for Alisson, and he will just hope that it doesn’t look like a big day in the title race in May.

Van Dijk (4.2) and Ryan Gravenberch (4.2) were up next after two really bad showings for different reasons.

LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, February 4, 2024: Liverpool's captain Virgil van Dijk reacts as Arsenal score the second goal during the FA Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC at the Emirates Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

The former was poor for at least two of the goals, leading to NBC Sports‘ Joe Prince-Wright to say that the “deflection for Arsenal’s third summed up a tough day,” while Gravenberch had little impact at all.

In third-last place was Cody Gakpo (4.6), with the Dutchman too quiet and “on the periphery,” according to Jackson.

He only completed 55 percent of his passes at the Emirates, as per FotMob, had just 23 touches and also won only one of his three aerial duels, despite his tall stature.

The best score of the afternoon went to Alexis Mac Allister (6.7), but he was the best of a terrible bunch more than anything.

Liverpool now have a six-day break ahead of next Saturday’s visit of Burnley in the Premier League (3pm UK).