Declan Rice earns top marks while Florian Wirtz is told to deliver more as Liverpool and Arsenal go head to head at Anfield.
Anfield delivered another heavyweight Premier League night, and when the player ratings were handed out, Declan Rice came away as one of the big winners. The Arsenal midfielder's display was rewarded with a standout mark in a contest between two of the league's biggest sides.
Rice's influence is exactly what Arsenal need in games of this size. Away from home, against a Liverpool side feeding off a loud crowd, the midfield battle often decides who controls the tempo. His work in that area earned him praise and put him among the leading performers on the pitch.
For Liverpool, the spotlight fell on Florian Wirtz. The expectations that come with a big-money arrival are heavy, and the verdict on his display was clear: good, but he must do more. Fans want to see the creativity and decisive moments that made him one of Europe's most coveted playmakers, and games like this are where those qualities are expected to show.
The ratings leave both camps with plenty to think about. Arsenal can take encouragement from the way their midfield engine performed in a hostile setting, while Liverpool will look for more end product from their key creative pieces as the season builds. In a league this tight, every big-game performance counts.
