Frankfurt 1-5 Liverpool: Player Ratings

Liverpool banished the recent demons by taking to the road in Europe and showing the Champions League that they’re still a serious footballing unit by thumping Frankfurt 5-1.

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-5 Liverpool

Champions League (3) | Deutsche Bank Stadium
October 22, 2025

Goals: Kristensen 26′; Ekitike 34′, Van Dijk 38′, Konate 44′, Gakpo 66′, Szoboszlai 70′

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Giorgi Mamardashvili – 6 (out of 10)

Understandably looked like a man uncertain in the opening stages of this one, his first touch tentative and desire to get rid of possession obvious.

Looked crestfallen after conceding the opener, which he arguably could have been better placed at address, but found his groove thereafter and solidified.

Held his own in the second half, but looks a tad shaky with the ball at feet.

Still – with a lead to protect and all eyes on you while deputising for the living legend that is Alisson – it can’t be an easy time to be Liverpool’s stand-in stopper.

Andy Robertson – 7

Needed the opening stages to shake the rust, and for the Frankfurt goal – through his legs – to inject some adrenaline into the veins.

Took it personally and used it to his advantage thereafter, taking up good positions and pushing forward with confidence.

The weighted ball through to Ekitike was sublime and arrived at a perfect moment. Quick thinking from the old head.

Virgil van Dijk – 9

The steely eyes of the skipper said everything pre-match. Van Dijk has taken the recent unprecedented losing run upon his own shoulders, and Liverpool benefitted here.

Spent the opening phase of the match talking every player through every pass; constant shouting, constant gestures.

Ran the line well and tightened the screw big time once the equaliser went in. Somehow seemed destined to score. Cometh the moment, cometh the captain.

Needed a big performance after looking out of kilter against United, and made sure he delivered.

Ibrahima Konate – 8

Another big performance, commemorated with another goal. And some bullet header it was – I reckon Ibou has a higher density of muscle in his neck than I have in my entire upper body.

Looking like a serious footballer again, cool in possession and beyond aggressive in the challenge.

Importantly, though, artful finesse has returned to his game and there is a reassuring absence of panic and hurry.

Maintaining this newfound form alongside Van Dijk can seriously reignite Liverpool’s desperately needed return to full throttle.

Jeremie Frimpong – 6

Got the impression he was seriously relishing this return to Germany, and is clearly carrying a lot of self-applied pressure in wanting to prove himself as a Liverpool player.

It’s not gone to plan so far for the flying Dutchman, and agonisingly he started this clash brightly – with lots of speed and willingness to go one-on-one. A real shame to leave the fray through injury again.

Curtis Jones – 7

Handed the thankless task of hoovering possession deep within the lines and keeping the ball turning over. Did what was asked of him for the most part, though was caught snoozing for the opener.

Started the second half brightly and dished out multiple piercing through-balls for the frontmen. A few lovely examples of dropping the shoulder to let the ball run and free up space would soon follow.

An understated performance, and one that is often very much needed when on the road in Europe.

Dominik Szoboszlai – 9 – Man of the Match

Looked like the Hungary captain. Took it upon himself to anchor the dead centre of midfield, patrolling the space and taking responsibility.

Sprayed passes with aplomb in the early stages, but was one of several guilty parties who left a gaping hole in the centre of the park for Frankfurt’s opener.

Bossed the second 45 though, high on confidence. Was the beating heart of the fourth goal, winning possession in the middle of the park before feathering a divinely judged through-ball to Wirtz to tee up Gakpo.

Loves being the main man and his scorching daisy-cutter from 25-yards to make it 5-1 felt completely inevitable. A great evening for the No. 8.

Florian Wirtz – 8

Nerves are still eating at this extraordinary talented playmaker. Nerves and perhaps a strong measure of frustration at this point.

Found space well in the first 45, though several passes hit short or wayward only served to leave his team-mates on edge.

The second half was a different story. Wirtz the artist became present. He looked unshackled, unburdened and eager to make things happened.

Moved the ball much better and got two assists for his efforts. With more time this lad is going to become mercurial.

Should be boarding the plane home with a first goal to his name, had Mo Salah squared to him in the last few minutes. That one will annoy him, no doubt.

Cody Gakpo – 8

When the bloke at the pub wants to have a moan about Liverpool falling short, he’ll grumble on about Arne Slot refusing to bench Cody Gakpo. Dutch favouritism, he’ll tell you, over gulps of Stella.

But here was another remind of just why Slot favours Gakpo, and why the versatile winger offers to much to this XI. Put in a solid shift out on the flank and looked like Liverpool’s biggest instigator of threat.

His large looming presence out wide is always horrible for opponents to keep an eye on. They can’t settle.

Gakpo zipped inside and out cleverly as the game fell heavily into Liverpool’s favour, and arrived at the back post as reliably as ever to finish off another carbon copy goal.

Feels like he’s had loads of those, and that’s because he has. A really priceless asset to this team.

Alexander Isak – 6

Another fixture in which he could’ve broken the deadlock early doors, but fizzled somewhat into the background thereafter. Took down Szoboszlai’s aerial through-ball with a gorgeous first touch, but played the whole move too delicately.

Easy to say with a measure of hindsight, but it feels like the Reds’ record signing needs to be less scalpel, more sledgehammer right now.

Seems his team-mates still very much need to learn his game and his habits. The absence of pre-season bonding is more impactful than any of us can imagine.

Goes without saying that, right now, Ekitike is the striker who should rightly get preference in the forward line.

Hugo Ekitike – 8

Has to be one of the most Gen-Z footballers on the planet. Nonchalant, smooth, always entirely unflustered. Turns up with a different hairstyle each match and just looks like his socks are stuffed with magic.

Who knows what he’s going to do, but whatever it is, it’ll look ace.

His movement in the final third was dynamite from the off and he was desperate to score against his former employers.

His goal should be watched by young aspiring strikers everywhere – the line of the run, the injection of pace, the pulling across the defender to eliminate all prospect of a tackle…and of course the finish.

A serious footballer, and a joy to watch.

Overall Team Performance – 8

 

Substitutes

Conor Bradley (on for Frimpong, 19′) – 8

Was surprised to be on so early and even had to finish his warm-up shuttle runs while actually on the pitch. Slotted into the game like he’d started from minute one.

Great footwork, solid tackles, ran the flank and constantly ensured Konate had a quick pass option. A remarkably well-rounded footballer this lad.

Federico Chiesa (on for Isak, 46′) – 7

Will be aggrieved not to have started this one, but made good use of his time on the field as per. Almost scored with a looping acrobatic effort and pressed hard from the front thereafter.

Joe Gomez (on for Konate, 74′) – 7

Didn’t have much to do, after arriving with the Reds in cruise control, but didn’t put a foot wrong.

Alexis Mac Allister (on for Gakpo, 74′) – 7

As with Gomez, merely had to slot in and keep things ticking over. Didn’t have to reach top gear or even close.

Showed for the ball quickly and helped lighten the load to see the easy victory out.

Mohamed Salah (on for Ekitike, 74′) – 6

Came on absolutely desperate to score, and it didn’t bear fruit. Can’t fault his determination, but not squaring the ball to Wirtz for an open goal tap-in in the dying minutes was sinful.

Any other player would have got an earful from his team-mates.

Subs not used: Woodman, Misciur, Endo, Kerkez, Ngumoha

 

Arne Slot – 8

The most pressure he’d yet faced as the Liverpool manager came rapidly to the boil as this match kicked off.

A fifth consecutive defeat would have been unthinkable. Not since the 50s has that happened, but Slot knows there is very much a bigger picture here.

Thankfully said unthinkable defeat was never in question, once things clicked. Slot deserves credit for trialling the Isak-Ekitike starting pairing, and it will provide food for thought regarding formations to come.

The manager used his subs well and benefitted from laying out a more evenly balanced XI.

Easy to say when you’re coasting home a 5-1, but not reverting back to a Wirtz-Jones isolated midfield two pivot again was very much encouraging.

This needs to be built upon ahead of Brentford now, some good momentum in the legs.