Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool Player Ratings: Gunners hold nerve to secure shootout win

 

Arsenal followed up their FA Cup success with a penalty shootout win over Liverpool in the 2020/21 curtain raiser as they landed the Community Shield for the 16th time. Rhian Brewster's penalty miss proved crucial after the pair played out a 1-1 draw in normal time, as Takumi Minamino came off the bench to cancel out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's opener. 

 

Here, we take a look at the player ratings from Wembley... 

 

Arsenal - 6.72 

 

Emiliano Martinez - 5.70: Despite speculation linking him with a move away from Arsenal, Mikel Arteta kept faith with the Argentine between the sticks. Raced off his line as Sadio Mane bore down on goal early in the second half and kept his nerve to deny the Liverpool man. Unable to prevent Takumi Minamino from drawing Liverpool level with 15 minutes to play. 

 

Rob Holding - 6.62: Like Emiliano Martinez, has also been linked with a summer exit, but started in Mikel Arteta's three-man defence. However, was beaten to the ball too easily by Sadio Mane and had to be bailed out by Emiliano Martinez 10 minutes into the second half.  

 

David Luiz - 6.74: Netted in the penalty shootout and was at his proactive best as he made six clearances from the centre of Arsenal's three-man defence.  

 

Kieran Tierney - 6.35: Started on the left of Arsenal's three-man backline, but was granted the chance to push on and support the attack.  

 

Hector Bellerin - 7.31: Got forward well in the opening 45 minutes, completing four more dribbles, more than Liverpool managed (3) in total. Withdrawn from action on the hour mark.  

 

Mohamed Elneny - 6.70: A surprise inclusion in the Arsenal midfield having spent last season on loan with Besiktas. Solid if unspectacular on his first Gunners appearance since May 2019 as he made two tackles and found a teammate with 92.5% of his attempted passes. 

 

Granit Xhaka - 7.10: A notable midfield showing from the Swiss international as he returned an 85.4% pass success rate. Off the ball, he impressed, making three clearances and three interceptions as he marshalled the midfield. 

 

Ainsley Maitland-Niles - 7.19: Like in the FA Cup semi-final and final, started from left wing-back and repaid the faith shown in him by Mikel Arteta with a fine outing. 

 

Bukayo Saka - 7.14: Grabbed the assist for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's opener with a fine switch of play, that coming from one of three key passes. 

 

Eddie Nketiah - 6.34: Given the nod to start ahead of Alexandre Lacazette on the frontline and should have scored his first and Arsenal's second on 17 minutes, however, his shot was well turned behind by Alisson. Found row Z midway through the first half as he set himself nicely to let fly from 20 yards.  

 

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 7.81: Opened the scoring with a fine curling effort early on to continue his fine form at Wembley. Netted the decisive penalty to win Arsenal the 2020 Community Shield.  

 

Subs 

 

Cedric Soares - 6.82, Sead Kolasinac - 6.12, Joe Willock - 6.46, Reiss Nelson - 6.42 

 

 

Liverpool - 6.46 

 

Alisson - 5.27: Beaten with a well struck effort by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the early exchanges. Pulled off a smart low stop to deny Eddie Nketiah to ensure Arsenal didn't double their advantage with 17 minutes on the clock. 

 

Neco Williams - 6.16: Withdrawn on the hour mark for Takumi Minamino following an insipid showing where he struggled against Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Kieran Tierney. 

 

Joe Gomez - 6.83: Lucky that Eddie Nketiah was unable to find the target midway through the first half after the Arsenal forward got the better of the Liverpool defender a little too easily.  

 

Virgil van Dijk - 6.84: Saw an early goal correctly chalked off for offside having been picked out well by Andy Robertson from a free-kick. Only player to make in excess of 100 passes.  

 

Andy Robertson - 7.01: Got forward well early on and must've thought he'd played his part in the first goal of the game, but despite picking out Virgil van Dijk well from a set-piece, the Dutchman's goal was ruled out for offside. Always willing to bomb on and help stretch the Arsenal defence, attempting 15 crosses in total. 

 

Georginio Wijnaldum - 6.54: Tidy in possession as he yielded a 96.4% pass success rate, but failed to provide the creativity from midfield as he completed just one dribble and didn't create a chance. 

 

Fabinho - 6.85: Netted a penalty in the shootout, yet struggled to assert his dominance in midfield, making just two tackles across the 90 minutes. 

 

James Milner - 6.15: Lost his marker on 11 minutes, but his header was over the bar. Booked 10 minutes into the second half for a sloppy challenge on Eddie Nkeitah. Subbed off shortly after in a sub-par display. 

 

Mohamed Salah - 6.46: An anonymous showing from the Egyptian, who was unable to stamp his authority on the game at Wembley.  

 

Roberto Firmino - 6.37: Must've thought he'd scored as he curled a long range effort just wide early in the second half. A quiet performance from the forward, who came off with seven minutes to go. 

 

Sadio Mane - 6.50: Showed glimpses of his quality in the first half and did well to remain onside for a long ball upfield 10 minutes after the break. Held off Rob Holding well, but was denied by Emilano Martinez. 

 

Subs 

 

Naby Keita - 6.49, Takumi Minamino - 7.71, Curtis Jones - 6.41, Rhian Brewster - 5.32

Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool Player Ratings: Gunners hold nerve to secure shootout win