- Liverpool player ratings and more from a disappointing defeat to Swansea City
- Virgil van Dijk’s error allowed Alfie Mawson to open the scoring in the first half
- Swans held on for vital three points as Reds struggled to find a way through
- WATCH: Video: £75million man Virgil van Dijk costs Liverpool yet another set-piece goal with bad error
Liverpool slipped to a disappointing 1-0 defeat away to Swansea City this evening as Virgil van Dijk’s error handed Alfie Mawson a first-half winner.
The Reds were not at their best as the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane struggled to click into gear up front as they have done so many times this season.
Here’s a look at Liverpool player ratings and more from a surprise result at the Liberty Stadium…
Man of the match
It’s not a name we were expecting to give this to tonight, but what a performance that was from Swansea defender Alfie Mawson.
The 24-year-old reacted well to pounce for his side’s winning goal, and from then on he led a strong defensive display to keep out one of the most deadly front lines in the country.
Liverpool looked out of ideas in attack and were reduced to pot-shots from distance on more than one occasion, and Mawson deserves credit for his role in marshalling that impenetrable back line.
Flop of the match
While the goal was not his fault, Loris Karius looked suspect whenever called upon for Liverpool.
The German does not look much of an alternative to first-choice ‘keeper Simon Mignolet, with his kicking weak tonight and his handling suspect.
Quite why Liverpool haven’t been in the market for a new number one this winter is beyond pretty much everyone.
Stat of the match
A stat to sum up how weird and unpredictable football can be…
6 – Swansea have scored fewer home goals than any other @premierleague side this season (6), while Liverpool have scored the most away from home (29). Disparity. #SWALIV
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 22, 2018
Liverpool player ratings
Loris Karius – 5
Joel Matip – 6
Virgil van Dijk – 6
Joe Gomez – 6
Andrew Robertson – 6
Emre Can – 6
Georginio Wijnaldum – 5 (sub: Danny Ings – 5)
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – 6 (sub: Adam Lallana – 6)
Sadio Mane – 6
Mohamed Salah – 6
Roberto Firmino – 6
Reaction
Unsurprisingly, Liverpool fans took to Twitter in numbers to criticise the performance tonight, particularly of Van Dijk and Karius…
Can’t lie, Van Dijk’s weak ass header gifted Swansea a goal. Some things will never be fixed
— Jimi (@KlippityKlopp12) January 22, 2018
Van Dijk £75 smh @talkSPORTLive
— juan richards (@kofisongh) January 22, 2018
Karius, Robertson, Matip, Gomez, Can and Wijnaldum all not good enough.
— Sean (@SeanMR18) January 22, 2018
Liverpool really need a GK karius and mignolet are awful and vvd if hes worth £75m im tom thumb #SWALIV
— Bratby81 (@bratby81) January 22, 2018
Karius<Mignolet
— O W A I N??? ??? (@MrOwenTurner29) January 22, 2018