Liverpool’s winning run came to an end but they rescued a 2-2 draw late on against Arsenal, in what was not one of the Reds’ better showings this season.
Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool
Premier League (9) | Emirates Stadium
October 27, 2024
Goals: Saka 9′, Merino 45′; Van Dijk 17′, Salah 81′
Caoimhin Kelleher – 6 (out of 10)
Given that all the pre-match talk was of Arsenal‘s missing starters, we must have missed the memo which confirmed Caoim is now our undisputed No1…
Anyway, absolutely no chance with the opener, Saka blamming it in high and hard, and even less with the second.
In between, his footwork was good and he took a few claims. One decent save high up from Jesus late on but not a game where he had to do loads… aside from the goals.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 6
One of his worst games, the day after his talk about wanting to win the Ballon d’Or.
And yet, we saw why he potentially could: that incredible ability to pick passes and create chances, even on a bad day, which led to him producing two passes here – neither assists, both leading to goals.
Otherwise it was a story of poor passing, not his best defensive work and certainly nothing to mark him out as captain material, in terms of lifting the team.
Ibrahima Konate – 8 – Man of the match
Missed an interception early on but made a couple of big challenges including getting a thigh to a bouncing ball in the area with Martinelli lingering dangerously. Great recovery pace to shut down the same player in the channel soon after.
Arsenal‘s set-piece ingenuity meant nobody was really marking individuals when the second goal went in, but Merino ended up between Konate and Jones but with nobody anywhere near him. Solid and consistent throughout, however.
Virgil van Dijk – 6
A question over whether he should have been covering closer to Robertson for the opener – or made up ground quicker – but reacted by pinging a great pass which won a corner and then headed it in to level.
Mostly assured under pressure in open play but none of the back line were happy defending set pieces and Van Dijk, as the leader there, must be the one to stop constant mistakes or giving them away in the first place. One big defensive header near the end but could have done with more from him.
Andy Robertson – 5
Beaten all ends up by Saka at the first time of asking to lead to a goal in very Salah style. Struggled not just for pace but for agility on the turn too.
No surprise when he was subbed off; a slight improvement second half but Robertson looks one of the weaker links in this team at present.
Ryan Gravenberch – 7
Too often bypassed and marginalised in the first half; won his share of battles, but not involved enough and certainly not on the ball in a progressive sense.
An improved player in the second half, a bit more aggressive – which we lacked as a team on the day – but not a dominant showing from anyone in our away jersey and Gravenberch’s position more or less demands such a showing, especially in the biggest games.
Alexis Mac Allister – 6
Overrun in the centre, booked for hauling down Saka and generally looked off the pace as Arsenal swarmed Liverpool. Not at all up to his usual level of composure, control or ability to influence the match.
Curtis Jones – 6
Played further forward in this game, in the team for Szoboszlai, but couldn’t have the same impact in that role as he had in deeper zones against Chelsea.
Struggled to get through lots of challenges in a tight area of the pitch; dropped back downfield after the subs and was a bit more involved from there. Again, not a top showing but certainly lots of work rate.
Mohamed Salah – 7
Really poor effort when presented with a surprise chance 15 minutes in. Played the part of playmaker in the first half, trying to hold up and feed into others rather than being any threat on goal himself.
A little more involved second half when Liverpool were on top and eventually got the chance he wanted – and buried it late on. Moved level with Fowler for Premier League goals.
Darwin Nunez – 6
Extremely hard-working and loads of first-half running; the problem was, most of it was in the right-back or left-back area, not as an out-ball or running behind Arsenal‘s defence.
It’s fair to suggest that if there were other subs on the bench – Jota, say – Nunez probably would have been hooked somewhere in the second half just as a matter of course, given nothing really went his way, but he produced a moment which mattered: a strong run into the channel and a perfect square pass to find Salah for the equaliser.
Luis Diaz – 5
Got the nod for left wing and he really would have expected to have more success in a direct battle with stand-in right-back Thomas Partey.
Did beat him one on one a couple of times second half but it was nowhere near enough impact, nor consistent enough.
Diaz claimed the assist with a flicked header for Van Dijk, but is way off his early-season form right now. Didn’t really support Robertson first half either when he struggled against Saka.
His first half was a disaster defensively; dispossessed twice, lost 11 of 16 duels, committed four fouls – one for the second goal – and lost two tackles.
Substitutes
Szoboszlai (on for Mac Allister, 62′) – 6 – Sloppy initially after coming on. Better work rate thereafter but no end product.
Tsimikas (on for Robertson, 62′) – 6 – Defended a bit better than Robertson one on one but not a lot of support play going forward.
Gakpo (on for Diaz, 62′) – 5 – No great impact down the left this time.
Endo (on for Jones, 90′) – * – On for seven minutes of injury time.
Subs not used: Jaros, Davies, Quansah, Gomez, Morton
Arne Slot – 6
While not too many would perhaps have disagreed with the names in the XI ahead of kick-off, it didn’t take long to see it wasn’t quite working for the Reds, particularly in midfield where we were second best and overloaded.
A swap of Jones and Mac Allister might have been the answer, but in general play we were slower, sloppier and nowhere near sharp enough.
It was certainly better in that respect after half-time, with Liverpool enjoying more control of the ball and playing far higher upfield, and the boss sought to leverage that by making a triple sub on the hour to keep the pressure on.
This was not a vintage Liverpool showing.
But Slot did enough to get a result on the day and perhaps on the balance of the season as a whole, you take the point from this ground and be happy with it – there’s lots more to play for later down the line.
A game to take lessons from for the boss, perhaps.
Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool
