Liverpool player ratings vs Villa: Ox a shadow, Robbo was Sunday league

Midfield

Speaking of Brazilian rocks, there was no getting past Liverpool’s number three today.

He simply oozes class when he plays like this – the hoover in the midfield, picking it up, recycling it, even pinging crossfield balls like no tomorrow.

The reason he only gets a seven is for a few sloppy passes in the first half – he’d be an eight or higher otherwise, but still, the former Monaco man’s performance isn’t marred.

Fondly nicknamed ‘Guiniesta’ by some adoring fans, the dimunitive midfielder produced another very solid display, showing Jurgen Klopp why he should feature from the start more often for Liverpool.

The Guinea skipper looked once again at home on the big stage, but we’d still like to see him marauding forward a bit more instead of picking the sideways pass.

Nonetheless another positive step for Naby, who capped it off with an assist for Mane’s opener.

Much akin to Andy Robertson, it’s been a very poor week for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

It doesn’t shadow what has been a real breakthrough season for Ox at Anfield, but today he just couldn’t get it right.

Most passes were over and underhit, and nothing really clicked. It was just one of those ‘meh’ performances from him.