Liverpool 3-4 Bayern Munich: Player ratings as Jurgen Klopp’s right-back dilemma rises again
Liverpool finished their tour of Asia with a 4-3 defeat to Bayern Munich in Singapore.
Cody Gakpo gave Liverpool the lead inside three minutes and new captain Virgil van Dijk made it two just before the half-hour mark with the Reds taking full control. But the defensive weaknesses showed up again for Liverpool as Serge Gnabry pulled one back and Leroy Sane equalised before the half was up.
As the changes rang midway through the second half, Luis Diaz made it 3-2 to Liverpool capping off a good move but Josip Stanisic equalised for Bayern Munich and Frans Kratzig won the match for the Germans in injury-time.
Here’s how the players rated at the Singapore National Stadium:
Liverpool
Alisson – 7 – Couldn’t really do anything about either first-half goal, did well when called upon otherwise. Unfortunate to parry his save from De Ligt’s header to Stanisic and well-beaten by the winner.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 4 – It was immediately clear that Alexander-Arnold would be spending most of his time in the middle of the pitch but this time it really didn’t work defensively. He left far too much space on the right and didn’t track Gnabry’s run for Bayern’s first goal.
Joel Matip – 4 – Given a lot of work to do by Alexander-Arnold moving infield and he just couldn’t manage it. Couldn’t stop Gnabry for either goal and once Bayern worked things out, they knew they could target Matip who had no support.
Virgil van Dijk – 7 – Didn’t have too much do to defensively and made it 2-0 with a very good header from a corner.
Andrew Robertson – 5 – Put in a great delivery for Van Dijk’s goal but didn’t look strong defensively, caught out of position when Sane equalised, forgetting the need for him to be more reserved as part of a back three in possession. Tormented by Coman before he was taken off.
Alexis Mac Allister – 7 – Quietly went about his business and impressed when on the ball, though there was a bit of a worry as he appeared to go down injured on the half-time whistle.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 7 – Got involved in defence and attack and looked really fresh. He’ll be fantastic in the Premier League.
Curtis Jones – 7 – Mistimed a couple of tackles but looked good otherwise, growing as part of this Liverpool midfield.
Mohamed Salah – 6 – Kept pretty quiet aside from a good chance in the first half, with Liverpool preferring to attack down the left. Got involved after Davies went off and played a cute pass for Diaz’s goal but was taken off shortly after.
Cody Gakpo – 7 – Wonderful finish to open the scoring inside the first few minutes after a neat one-two with Jota and caused Bayern a few problems especially when dropping deeper.
Diogo Jota – 7 – Made a good one-two with Gakpo for the Dutchman’s goal and could have had another assist on a quick break but his pass to Salah didn’t have enough power. Liverpool’s most dangerous attacker in the first half.
Substitutes:
Darwin Nunez (for Mac Allister 45) – 6 – Pushed forward to the central attacking role, Nunez wasn’t a direct threat and should have won it late on but his shot lacked power.
Ibrahima Konate (for Matip 45) – 7 – Looked much more comfortable defensively than the man he replaced.
Luis Diaz (for Jota 45) – 7 – Good finish to put Liverpool ahead in the second half with a move he started from inside his own half. Looked really dangerous.
Harvey Elliott (for Gakpo 61) – 7 – Sat in the midfield trio and ran well, getting forward quite a bit.
Joe Gomez (for Alexander-Arnold 61) – 6 – Was comfortable initially but then given a hard time by Kratzig as Bayern looked to avoid penalties.
Kostas Tsimikas (for Robertson 61) – 5 – Had a tough 30 minutes up against Coman.
Ben Doak (for Salah 75) – 6 – Looked likely in parts and could have set up a winner for Liverpool but his cross was too powerful.
Jarell Quansah (for Van Dijk 75) – 6 – Did okay after coming on.
Bobby Clark (for Jones 75) – 5 – Slotted into the midfield quietly.
James McConnell (for Szoboszlai 75) – 5 – Didn’t see too much of him after coming on.
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Bayern Munich
Yann Sommer – 6 – Couldn’t do much about either goal in the first half but was otherwise reliable.
Benjamin Pavard – 5 – When Liverpool were 1-0 up he missed two gilt-edged chances to equalise from a corner, heading against the post and then over the bar without much pressure. Also lost the aerial battle against Van Dijk for the Dutchman’s goal.
Dayot Upamecano – 5 – Struggled to deal with the direct running of Jota though he did improve slightly after half time.
Kim Min-jae – 7 – Pulled out of position by Gakpo in the early stages of the first goal but grew into the game. Made a good block when Salah looked like scoring and then set up Bayern’s first with a great ball over the top for Gnabry.
Alphonso Davies – 7 – Dealt really well with Salah, matching the Egyptian for pace.
Joshua Kimmich – 5 – Struggled to control the midfield as Bayern needed him to.
Konrad Laimer – 4 – Didn’t really look up to the pace of the game and lost the battle in midfield against Gakpo for the first goal. A struggle.
Leroy Sane – 7 – Caused Liverpool’s defence some problems with his dribbling and equalised with a good first-time finish from inside the box.
Serge Gnabry – 8 – Had so much space on Bayern’s left and once he got going, Gnabry was great. Lovely touch and finish to pull a goal back when under some pressure and then did well to pick out Sane inside the box for the equaliser.
Jamal Musiala – 6 – Showed good footwork at times though wasn’t as involved as Bayern would have hoped around the box.
Mathys Tel – 6 – Wasn’t the dangerous spearhead that Bayern might have needed at times but he allowed the wingers to get involved a lot more and picked out a great pass to Gnabry in the build up to the equaliser.
Substitutes:
Kingsley Coman (for Sane 45) – 8 – A real direct threat on the right for Bayern, causing Liverpool so many problems.
Matthijs de Ligt (for Kim 45) – 7 – Looked pretty solid defensively, just like the man he replaced.
Sven Ulreich (for Sommer 45) – 6 – Produced a good save to deny Nunez late on, but was well beaten by Diaz’s effort.
Leon Goretzka (for Laimer 61) – 6 – Much better than the man he replaced, looking controlled in midfield.
Ryan Gravenberch (for Gnabry 61) – 5 – Wasn’t really noticeable on the pitch after coming on.
Josip Stanisic (for Upamecano 61) – 6 – Equalised with a good finish but did get beaten far too easily by Diaz for his goal.
Frans Kratzig (for Davies 61) – 7 – Won the game for Bayern with a fantastic finish and looked to get at Gomez at every opportunity he could, pushing further forward than he usually might.
Arijon Ibrahimovic (for Musiala 61) – 6 – Looked pretty decent when given his chance.
Noussair Mazrouai (for Pavard 61) – 7 – Very solid after coming on.
Bouna Sarr (for Tel 69) – 6 – Came on at left-back and had a few moments of worry.
Aleksandar Pavlovic (for Kimmich 69) – 6 – Looked like a first-teamer after coming on.
