If you came looking for Virgil van Dijk, boy, do we have a surprise for you. Alisson also escapes inclusion but two Liverpool players aren’t as lucky.
Here, according to WhoScored ratings, is the Premier League weekend’s worst XI. In the wake of their home humping at the hand of Aston Villa, we’ve removed any Sheffield United players from consideration, otherwise this feature would simply be a reissue of Chris Wilder’s team-sheet. And no one wants to read that.
GK: Bernd Leno – 5.05
The Fulham keeper spares Alisson from selection after conceding twice at Burnley. The first, the platform for the Clarets’ fightback, can be pinned on Leno’s choosing to come for Lorenz Assignon’s cross, a decision he appeared to regret before the ball had flown over him and on to the head of David Datro Fofana.
READ: Guglielmo Vicario the latest victim as Premier League goalkeepers can’t cope with corners
RB: Malo Gusto – 5.36
The right-back was the worst of a very bad lot for Chelsea, with some woeful passing topped off with the concession of a penalty. Gusto was dribbled past three times – all three of his dribble attempts failed – and he lost 10 of 12 duels.
CB: Ibrahima Konate – 5.57
Four of Liverpool’s back five were sub-six scorers at Arsenal. The only one to emerge with a respectable score? Virgil van Dijk. The Reds’ second-best starter, apparently. Konate’s biggest mistake was highlighted by the fact it earned him an early shower. He was solid in the air, winning all six aerial duels, but Konate was second best on the ground on all but one of five occasions.
CB: Hjalmar Ekdal – 5.69
Vincent Kompany recognises a centre-back having a nightmare, which is why the Swede was hooked at half-time with Burnley 2-0 down. Ekdal was caught out by a hopeful hoik forward, allowing Rodrigo Muniz a clear run on goal for Fulham’s second. The fact Burnley looked more secure after Maxime Esteve’s introduction suggests Ekdal should get cosy on the bench.
LB: Dan Burn – 5.68
They love BDB at St James’ Park but no one present to witness the left-back having his pants pulled down by Chiedozie Ogbene would deny that he had a shocker against Luton. Eddie Howe eventually put Burn out of his misery midway through the second half but it could have been done at half-time. In 64 minutes, the defender was dribbled past four times and lost possession 16 times.
MF: Philip Billing – 5.09
Billing began Bournemouth’s draw with Forest on the bench, from which he emerged on 54 minutes. He lasted less than half an hour after a clumsy attempt to take a booking while stopping a Forest counter-attack saw him receive a deserved red for raking his studs down Callum Hudson-Odoi’s Achilles.
MF: Curtis Jones – 5.98
Jurgen Klopp thought one of the answers to Liverpool’s first-half lethargy at Arsenal was to move Jones a little deeper. It was not. Jones remained on the pitch for the full 90 while the Reds lost the midfield battle to Declan Rice and Jorginho. All the while, Jones lost possession a dozen times and won only two of seven duels.
Read more: 16 Conclusions from Arsenal 3-1 Liverpool: Alisson-Van Dijk disasterclass has Gunners dreaming again
MF: Chris Richards – 6.02
The USA international, usually a centre-back or right-back, was once again asked by Roy Hodgson to play in central midfield and, again, he looked lost. Even when he moved back to centre-back when Marc Guehi was injured, Richards looked little more comfortable in his surroundings. At least Adam Wharton’s arrival may mean the end of his midfield stint.
RF: Zeki Amdouni – 6.11
The Burnley forward’s performance looks worse in the context of David Datro Fofana’s impact after replacing him just after the hour. Before the change, the Clarets were toothless, with Amdouni losing possession seven times – once more than his total completed passes.
Jarrod Bowen controls the ball during West Ham’s defeat to Manchester United.
CF: Jarrod Bowen – 6.02
Had one glorious chance at Old Trafford but the West Ham winger, playing through the middle, allowed Diogo Dalot to get back and block. That was Bowen’s only sniff at goal on an afternoon when a third of his touches resulted in a turnover.
LF: Raheem Sterling – 5.64
Chelsea’s highest-paid player was booed off by sections of the Blues’ support, sick of the s*** they are being served this season. Sterling copped it after a missing a glorious chance to equalise at 2-1 down. Never mind a shot; the England winger didn’t produce a cross that found its target.
Read next: Super Sunday drowning in Peter Drury’s scripted whimsy and maelstrom of awfulness
