Liverpool won 2-0 at home to Union SG in the Europa League on Thursday night, but who was the pick of the Reds players at Anfield?
Jurgen Klopp's side welcomed the Belgian outfit to Merseyside, as they looked to keep up their 100% record in Europe this season. It wasn't necessarily a classic contest at Anfield, but Ryan Gravenberch gave Liverpool the lead, scoring his first goal for the club in the process, and Diogo Jota put the icing on the cake with a good finish in stoppage time. Here's how we rated each Reds player on the night, as they picked up another important three points.
GK: Alisson – 7/10
Alisson started the game because of an injury to Caoimhin Kelleher, and this was a fairly quiet evening between the sticks for the Brazilian. He was largely untroubled, and barring one flap from a corner in the second half, he went about his business in unruffled fashion.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold – 6/10
Alexander-Arnold made his first start in a number of weeks, and in truth, it showed, in what was a fairly rusty performance on and off the ball. There were moments of quality, as you would expect from the 24-year-old, but he never quite felt fully in rhythm.
CB: Ibrahima Konate – 8/10
For once, Konate was the senior figure at centre-back for Liverpool and he was excellent throughout at Anfield. He used his pace and power expertly, rarely allowing a Union SG player to get the better of him.
CB: Jarell Quansah – 8/10
Quansah was a relative unknown figure back in the summer, but this was another performance that showed he is now a good squad option. Possessing good speed and coolness in possession, the 20-year-old was one of Liverpool's best players on show.
LB: Kostas Tsimikas – 6/10
Tsimikas is still firmly behind Andy Robertson in the left-back pecking order, and he was more solid than spectacular against Union. One lovely cross in the second half almost created an opportunity, and while he did little wrong, more is required from him.
DM: Wataru Endo – 6/10
Endo is still feeling his way into life at Anfield, and this was another relatively forgettable showing. He was neat and tidy for much of the game, but was guilty of losing possession a few times, and looks nothing more than a squad player currently.
CM: Harvey Elliott – 7/10
Elliott has made the leap from young hopeful to strong squad player now, and this was another match where his quality really shone through. He used his lovely left foot to create openings and keep the ball ticking over, and one driving run led to Darwin Nunez missing a sitter.
CM: Ryan Gravenberch – 8/10 (Man of the Match)
Gravenberch was Liverpool's star performer on Thursday night, as he showcased why he should start in the absence of Curtis Jones at Brighton this weekend. He was a class act on the ball, and had real dynamism, not to mention scoring the opener.
RW: Mohamed Salah – 6/10
There will certainly be more vintage nights at the office for Salah, who missed a one-on-one and just couldn't fully get into the swing of things.
LW: Diogo Jota – 6/10
Jota is a curious player in many ways, and this was typical of him. For much of the proceedings, he was a frustrating watch, especially his first touch, but then he buried a late finish impressively.
CF: Darwin Nunez – 6/10
Nunez is clearly a player with so much potential, but his display against Union outlined how raw he can still look. His aforementioned miss was one of the worst of the season so far, and while he worked hard and looked a threat, he struggled to link effectively with those around him.
Substitutes
Alexis Mac Allister (46' for Endo) – 6/10
Curtis Jones (46' for Salah) – 6/10
Luis Diaz (46' for Nunez) – 6/10
Joe Gomez (62' for Alexander-Arnold) – 7/10
Dominik Szoboszlai (78' for Gravenberch) – 6/10
Subs not used: Mrozek, Jaros, Van Dijk, Matip, Robertson, Chambers, Doak
Manager
Jurgen Klopp – 7/10
Klopp will know that bigger tests lie ahead for his side, but this was a solid performance overall, and the boss will be happy to have given fringe players some minutes.