Player Ratings As The Reds Rock - Liverpool 4-3 Manchester City

Trying to compile my thoughts rationally and not give everyone a 10/10 will be difficult, but I’ll do my best.

Seriously though, wow! Manchester City are one hell of a football team, but Liverpool aren’t too bad either. Of course, The Reds do their thing and make it hard for themselves after being 4-1 up, yet much of that was to do with Manchester City being, well, Manchester City.

Up to third, up the Reds.

Goalkeeper and defence

Loris Karius (5): No chance with goals two or three, but a good chance for goal one. Sane does hit it well and quite a few goalkeepers will let that one in, but it still counts as a mistake. Some nice distribution with the ball in hand, in fairness.

Joe Gomez (5): Might need taking out for a few games, he’s played a lot this season and some mental fatigue might be catching up with him on the pitch, evidenced by letting Sane get past him for the goal. Not bad apart from that but a little unsure of himself going forward on occasion, perhaps time for TAA for a couple of games.

Joel Matip (6): Didn’t take much notice of him if I’m honest because every time City got the ball in our final third I was tempted to cover my eyes. Seemed to get the better of Aguero for the most part.

Dejan Lovren (5): Was doing pretty much the same as Matip for 85 minutes then implodes as City chase a winner.

Andrew Robertson (8): Another really good performance that means Alberto Moreno might have to take a place on the bench when he gets back from injury. Gave the City players no time on the ball at all, great going forward, just switches off a little for Bernardo Silva’s goal which costs him a nine.

Midfield and attack

Emre Can (8): Stunning performance. Physically imposing, quick in possession when needed but also slowed it down at the right times. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we went from 4-1 to 4-3 after he went off.

Georginio Wijnaldum (7): It speaks volumes as to how good Liverpool’s midfield were that the lowest rated player is picking up a 7. Wijnaldum always seems to show up in these games and did so once more, so good defensively, constantly scrapping at City’s tricky wizards and nicking the ball off of them.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (9): Man of the Match, without a doubt. Set the tone with an absolute stormer of a goal and just as the tide was turning in City’s manner at 1-1, supplies a superb ball into Firmino to put the Reds ahead. Not just the goal and the assist, he was positive and dynamic in possession, tenacious when City had the ball, a model midfield performance.

Mohamed Salah (7): Actually thought he was having a fairly average game until he pops up and lobs Ederson with the sweetest of finishes. Much better in the second-half as Liverpool countered more, gets his customary goal.

Sadio Mané (8): What. A. Goal. He’s kicking himself for hitting the post minutes prior, where he arguably should pass, but more than makes up for it. How does he get so much power into that weaker foot? Who knows.

Roberto Firmino (8): Second only to Oxlade-Chamberlain in the Man of the Match argument, one of his best performances for Liverpool. A challenge he loves, trying to press a backline that plays out excellently, he definitely won the battle, as by the end of the contest Ederson and co were left looking fairly red-faced. That finish too. Oh, that finish. Bye John Stones, see-ya Ederson. 2-1.

Substitutes

Adam Lallana (5): Came on and was okay, a couple of good fouls for the needle.

James Milner (5): I wish he could tackle.

Ragnar Klavan (N/A): Plays even better than Terry, Vidic, Rio, Paolo Maldini. Makes a fool out of Michael Keane. He’s our centre-back, it’s Klavan 17.