Full player ratings: Liverpool's 9/10 star shows up Arsenal's biggest flop

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Liverpool further illustrated their championship credentials with an empathetic 5-1 win over Arsenal at Anfield.

It was The Reds ninth consecutive league win and saw their lead atop of the Premier League stretch to nine points following Tottenham Hotspur’s shock 1-3 defeat at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The result, meanwhile, leaves Arsenal sitting fifth and potentially five points outside the top four places if Chelsea register a win at Crystal Palace tomorrow.

Klopp’s men, particularly his attacking trio (Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane), were at their scintillating best. Each got on the score sheet – Firmino bagging a hat-trick – after Ainsley Maitland-Niles had put the visitors into a surprise lead.

Unai Emery, though, was somewhat let down by those representing him. It’s now just one win from their last five league outings.

Here’s how the players rated.

Liverpool

Alisson – 6 – Made some important saves, and was his usual commanding self, but will rue conceding his eighth league goal of the season and third at Anfield.

Trent Alexander-Arnold – 7 – A reliable outlet on the flanks. Alexander-Arnold got forward as much as possible and was unfortunate not be involved in a goal.

Dejan Lovren – 6 – Didn’t put a foot wrong, even won a penalty in the second half, but he didn’t need to as Liverpool had the better of Unai Emery’s men.

Virgil van Dijk – 7 – Captain for the day, Van Dijk was a colossus rarely letting anything or anyone past him.

Andrew Robertson – 5 – Very few have got the better of Robertson this season with Ainsley Maitland-Niles joining a very exclusive club. The energetic left-back was caught out of position for Arsenal’s opener.

Georginio Wijnaldum – 6 – Was his normal selfless self and Liverpool’s ‘number five’ completed 87% of his passes.

Fabinho – 8 – A monster in the heart of Liverpool’s midfield. Fabinho won all four of his attempted tackles ensuring Klopp’s side dominated the area between defence and attack. He was unlucky to note grab a goal.

Xherdan Shaqiri – 6 – Another start for the Swiss forward but he was left out of the goalscoring fun.

Roberto Firmino – 9 – His quick fire double saw turn the game on its head. Firmino’s brace, inside 90 seconds, saw him extend an impressive record against the Gunners before completing his first Premier League hat-trick.

Sadio Mané – 7 – He never stops running and was duly rewarded with a goal, yet another at Arsenal’s expense.

Mohamed Salah – 8 – Quietly effective. His deft touch to set up Mané, after the half hour mark, was Salah at his brilliant best.

Substitutes:

Jordan Henderson (on for Sadio Mané 62) – 5 –Nothing extravagant from the metronic central midfielder who kept things neat and tidy as Liverpool cruised to a comfortable victory.

Adam Lallana (on for Georginio Wijnaldum 78) – N/A – A late sub.

Nathaniel Clyne (on for Andrew Robertson 83) – N/A – A late sub.

Arsenal

Bernd Leno – 3 – He’s not the first, nor shall be the last, opposition goalkeeper to wilt at Anfield this season.

Stephan Lichtsteiner – 3 – He’s seen better days. The veteran Swiss full-back was simply overwhelmed thus becoming a liability.

Shkodran Mustafi – 2 – The last few years have been hard on Mustafi and the German international was painfully exposed by Liverpool’s irresistible attack.

Sokratis Papastathopoulos – 3 – Many felt Sokratis would not be able to cope with the Premier League’s intensity and on this showing they world be correct

Sead Kolašinac – 3 – Despite being pinned back he kept trying to get forward though his endeavour would never pay off. His lack of sharpness led to Liverpool’s second penalty of the game.

Lucas Torreira – 4 – A poor outing for Arsenal’s tenacious midfielder. He was caught in possession during the build-up to Roberto Firmino’s second goal for Liverpool.

Granit Xhaka – 4 – It seems when the going gets tough Xhaka sees his name enter the referee’s book.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles – 5 – A rare bright spot in a miserable evening for Arsenal; the young wing-back became only the third opposition player to register a Premier League goal at Anfield this season.

Aaron Ramsey – 4 – Normally a player for the big occasions, but this one passed the Welshman by.

Alex Iwobi – 5 – Always on the move his cross to Maitland-Niles got the Gunners off to a dream start.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 5 – Not much he could do in isolation; the Gabonese kept making those clever runs, but a lack of service made it redundant.

Substitutes:

Laurent Koscielny (on for Shkodran Mustafi 46) – 4 – There was nothing he could do to curb Liverpool’s relentless onslaught.

Alexandre Lacazette (on for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 71) – 4 – He would be disappointed with his cameo; was left to feed on scraps if Liverpool were being charitable.

Mattéo Guendouzi (on for Sead Kolašinac 81) – N/A – A late sub.

The post Every player rated as league-leaders Liverpool thrash Arsenal to go nine points clear appeared first on Squawka News.



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