Liverpool player ratings from their gutting 2-1 loss to Manchester City
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Rush The Kop or go back to LFC Live.
I’ve noted for weeks that Alisson’s tendency to rush off his line has bordered on costly; after narrowly avoiding being caught in no-man’s-land against Omar Marmoush earlier, his premature challenge on Matheus Nunes in the box proved fatal for the Reds.Virgil van Dijk- 6/10- Dealt with aerial situations well per usual, but overall defended rather clumsily and may have been fortunate to escape with a yellow rather than a red for his second-half challenge on Erling Haaland. He was also caught flat-footed for Bernardo Silva’s goal—even if he wasn’t directly at fault for playing him onside—capping off a disappointing display for the captain.Ibrahima Konate: 7.5/10- Outplayed Virgil for yet another game.
He was Liverpool’s standout midfielder on the night—something that has been all too rare for the Argentine this season.Ryan Gravenberch: 6/10- Too often opted to move the ball side to side (a symptom of Liverpool's attack at large this season) rather than play forward in the final third, and was wasteful with the chances he did choose to take. It’s hard to be too harsh given his recent hot streak, but it would have been great to see him leave a mark on a game of this magnitude.Cody Gakpo: 6/10- It was another match without a goal contribution for Cody, who struggled to impose himself against City’s defense.
He simply hasn’t been good enough this season, and if this form drags on to the campaign’s end, the sale of Luis Díaz—now thriving at Bayern Munich—will feel like a significant misstep.Mohamed Salah: 6.5/10- Likely should have earned an assist if Ekitike hadn’t skewed his header wide, but it increasingly feels like the end of an era of Salah scoring at will. The tactical shift toward him as a provider is understandable, but without assists, his output is likely to remain very muted for the rest of the season.Ekitike: 6.5/10- It’s difficult to be overly critical given he’s been Liverpool’s main source of goals this season, but on the day, Eki lacked his usual clinical edge.