Roberto Firmino delivers on Anfield farewell, but 26-year-old gets a 4: Liverpool player ratings vs Villa

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Liverpool will almost certainly Europa League football next season after after 1-1 draw with Aston Villa at Anfield today.

The game was had a big billing as Roberto Firmino’s farewell after eight years of wonderful service. But Villa came to crash the party and only a brilliant late goal from the man himself saved Liverpool from their second league loss of the Premier League season.

Here’s how we rated the players on a disappointing afternoon at Anfield.

Defence

Alisson Becker: 8 Man of the Match – Made an absolutely enormous save from Jacob Ramsey at 1-0. Where would we be without him. No blame attached for the goal.

Trent Alexander-Arnold: 5 – Not his best showing with the ball and let Ramsey run off him for the goal. Could have done better with a low drive from the edge of the box in the second-half.

Ibrahima Konate: 5 – Generally did well against the dangerous Watkins, but loses a point for a really clumsy challenge on the striker to give away a penalty.

Virgil van Dijk: 6 – Like Konate, handled Watkins relatively well. Looks more aggressive over the last few weeks and that continued again today.

Andy Robertson: 5 – Didn’t use the ball well in a number of good-looking positions.

Midfield

Fabinho: 5 – Back to looking a little leggy against a mobile Villa midfield. Lucky to get away without a booking after numerous first-half fouls. Finally

Jordan Henderson: 5 – Another who looked his age against a much younger Villa midfield.

Curtis Jones: 6 – The most likely of Liverpool’s starting midfield three. Did some good work in the build-up to Cody Gakpo’s disallowed goal but ultimately needed a little more from him.

Attack

Luis Diaz: 4 – Looks absolutely miles off the pace. Keeping hold of the ball far too long and simply doesn’t look a threat.

Cody Gakpo: 7 – The most involved of Liverpool’s front three. Showed why he’s been earmarked for Roberto Firmino’s position and took his disallowed goal really well.

Mohamed Salah: 6 – Couldn’t get much joy having been crowded out every time he got the ball. Worked hard enough, but just wouldn’t happen for him.

Substitutes

Diogo Jota: 5 – Looked bright when coming on but should have done better when put through by Gakpo.

James Milner: 10 – What a sevant.

Roberto Firmino: 10 – Should have been given longer. Wonderful, wonderful player with a perfect finish in front of the Kop to level. Thank you for everything Bobby.

Kostas Tsimikas: N/A

Harvey Elliott: N/A