Arsenal player ratings vs Liverpool: Salah & Jota net in awful defeat

Arsenal were comfortably beaten 3-0 by Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday night as goals from Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah handed the visitors a deserved win.

Following a two-week break from domestic action Mikel Arteta made four changes from the most recent 3-3 draw with West Ham as Rob Holding, Gabriel, Dani Ceballos and Nicolas Pepe came in to the starting lineup.

Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson also had spots on the bench.

Starting okay, Arsenal released into their shells in quick time as Liverpool maintained their one way traffic. No outball was there for the Gunners and every duel was lost and every run picked up.

https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1378447411786448909

Arsenal player ratings vs Liverpool in the Premier League as Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah punish woeful Gunners

With their stranglehold on proceedings, they carved open the only chances of the half and had poor finishing to blame for not putting their noses in front.

The second half came about and Arsenal appeared to have more bite about them, only for two minutes to pass and normal service resume. Liverpool continued to bully Arsenal, keep them pegged back and get the goals their dominance deserved.

Jota scored the opener having found the space in between Rob Holding and Calum Chambers to bullet a header through Bernd Leno, before Mohamed Salah wrapped up the points having evaded Gabriel and slotting through Leno’s legs. Jota then got his third.

It was horrfic. Utterly atrocious and one of the worst displays under Arteta.

Arsenal Goalkeeper & Defenders Ratings

Bernd Leno (GK) – 5/10 – Should he have done better with Jota’s header? It required quick reactions but having got a firm touch to it you feel it could have been pushed aside. Probably harsh, but then he got fully done for the second one.

Calum Chambers (RB) – 4/10 – Quite off the pace from the Englishman who you think would’ve been fit and firing. Offered nothing going forward but the reasons for that were down to superior opposition.

Rob Holding (CB) – 4/10 – Sloppy on the ball, and his clearances were more rash than measured, but at least he was there to make them. Let Jota peel off him and find the space for the header.

Gabriel (CB) – 4/10 – One the one hand, Gabriel did well to clear balls into the box and withstand the constant Liverpool pressure, but on the other, his distribution was miles off and lacked any confidence.

Nonetheless, his positioning was strong throughout, particularly during key moments in the second half, only to be outdone by the wizadry of Mohamed Salah with a weak tackle. Lazy mistake for the third.

Kieran Tierney (LB) – 5/10 – Had to essentially play as an extra central defender with Liverpool’s relentless pressing keeping Arsenal pegged back so deep into their half. Tried to find the outball down the left channel but there was nothing on.

Then the injury happened and if it’s bad, Arsenal are in deep….you know what.