Arsenal player ratings vs Liverpool: Valiant 0-0 draw in Carabao Cup

Arsenal secured an outstanding 0-0 draw at Liverpool on Thursday despite seeing Granit Xhaka sent off in the first half of their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at Anfield.

Mikel Arteta was hit with a string of absences for this match, with the number of players unavailable even greater than in the 1-0 FA Cup defeat to Nottingham Forest.

On the positive front Granit Xhaka returned to midfield alongside Sambi Lokonga, but there was no involvement for any of Takehiro Tomiyasu, Emile Smith Rowe or Martin Odegaard, who are facing a race against time to face Tottenham in the Premier League.

Youngsters Omari Hutchinson, Mika Biereth and Salah Oulad M’Hand all traveled with to Anfield in a match where the manager was forced to shuffle his pack around.

Arsenal player ratings vs Liverpool as Granit Xhaka is sent off but Gunners hold on for 0-0 draw in Carabao Cup semi-final first leg

Arsenal were forced into an early change when Cedric went off injured, and then the waves of Liverpool pressure ensued. However, just when Arsenal were finally finding their feet and creating  some intriguing moments on the break, madness struck.

Granit Xhaka’s idiotic high leg caught Jota in his midriff when he was clean through on goal, handing him a deserved red card and three game ban. You genuinely can’t write this kind of stuff. Somehow, despite being up against the odds, Arsenal held on until half-time.

After the break Arsenal continued to show outstanding courage and determination as they fought tooth and nail against wave after wave of Reds attacks.

It was a performance to be proud of. Wow. The energy of the team was second to none and not a single player left anything out on that pitch. This tie is very much all still to play for. Ten men or not, you’d have taken 0-0 before kick off.

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Aaron Ramsdale (GK) – 6/10 – Had a nervy moment in the first half but that was his only involvement as Arsenal managed to prevent the Reds from having a shot on goal. Was a bit loose on crosses and wide deliveries in the second half.

Cedric Soares (RB) – N/A – Suffered a hip injury seconds into the game and efforts to run it off didn’t work. He came off after ten minutes.

Benjamin White (CB) – 9/10 – As Arsenal were being pummeled by Liverpool’s belligerent press the workload on the central defenders was immense. It would require something special and White stood up to the task. He was exceptional, whether dealing with the ball on the floor, positioning correctly in transition of clearing smartly.

Gabriel (CB) – 8/10 – His head was a cement block at Anfield. No header wasn’t gobbled up by the Brazilian on his return to the side. Another storming performance in the heart of defence.

Kieran Tierney (LB) – 8/10 – Defended his space expertly and timed his runs forward to close possession or join an attack well all evening.

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Midfielders

Bukayo Saka (RM) – 8/10 – It’s a tough enough job playing on the right wing in this Arsenal system, so remove a midfielder from the equation and Saka’s job becomes a near impossible task.

But, of course, he showed his outstanding quality and put in a remarkable shift. Whether it was contesting duels or keeping the ball in tight areas, he did the lot. It felt like Saka vs Liverpool most of the time. Everything positive going forward was through him.

Albert Sambi Lokonga (CM) – 7/10 – Had so much to deal with all match in what was only his second start in well over a month, and as the shape changed to a 5-3-1 he held the central areas as well as he could.

Granit Xhaka (CM) – 0/10 – Idiot. Not only did Xhaka kill this game for Arsenal, he’s severely dented hopes of Arsenal securing a crucial Premier League victory against Tottenham on Sunday.

How can you be that spatially unaware that throwing your leg up on the edge of your box is even a debate? There are no words because he clearly knew he was there.

Gabriel Martinelli (LM) – 8/10 – Every single loose pass, and even those that couldn’t class as loose, Martinelli ran for. There is no such thing as a lost cause with the Brazilian. Like everyone, he left nothing on the pitch.

He had half a lung by the 60th minute.

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Forwards

Eddie Nketiah (ST) – 5/10 – Asked to play a variety of roles, sometimes slotting in at left wing-back and other times up front in a strike duo, Nketiah showed plenty of endeavour before being hooked after Xhaka’s red.

Alexandre Lacazette (ST) – 7/10 – Was a leader out on the pitch as he battled, chased and rallied non-stop. While he doesn’t sense attacking moments as well, he fought like a lion at Anfield, doing his best to either slow time down or bring others into the game.

He is a proper captain.

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Substitutes

Calum Chambers – 7/10 – What he lacked in quality he made up for in effort. Was a big ask for him to come into a game of this intensity having barely featured at all this season.

Rob Holding – 7/10 – Holding is a low block defender so when he’s tasked with doing that very job he does it well. Had to stay compact in between Gabriel and White and did a solid job of it.

Nuno Tavares – N/A – Had a specific role defending in front of Gabriel, showing good discipline not to be too expansive.