Last season’s Golden Boot winners team up in attack, with Liverpool’s skipper joined by Manchester City’s keeper in the Premier League’s worst XI.
This weekend’s flops, according to Whoscored ratings, line up with three at the back…
GK: Ederson – 5.67
Both keepers in the Manchester derby suffered for the lack of involvement. David De Gea scored a lowly 5.81, while Ederson can’t be blamed for either of United’s goals, even if his habit of rushing too high and early for one-on-ones cost him again for the equaliser. Everyone is too busy lamenting the offside law to consider the contribution of the City keeper, whose biggest mistake went unpunished in the first half when he tried to sweep up a ball in behind that he was never going to reach.
CB: Clement Lenglet – 5.88
Neither Lenglet nor Ryan Sessegnon got to grips with Bukayo Saka and when they got close enough, it was only to kick him. Lenglet was lucky not to cost Spurs a goal when his attempted pass out from the back was deflected across the box, though the mess began with Hugo Lloris dallying on the ball. Speaking of Lloris, given his f***-up for the first goal, it’s perhaps a surprise that he doesn’t take the gloves in this side. But the Spurs keeper redeemed himself – he didn’t though, really – with a couple of saves to earn 6.22.
CB: Joel Matip – 5.22
The worst of Liverpool’s flops, according to the ratings. Perhaps the only surprise is there are only three Reds in this XI after their sh*tshow at Brighton, but Matip is an obvious inclusion after his mistake gave the Seagulls the chance to open the scoring.
CB: Marcos Senesi – 5.97
The Bournemouth centre-back endured a rough evening against Ivan Toney and though Gary O’Neil labelled the decision to award a penalty against Senesi ‘scandalous’, it was certainly a clumsy tangle that gave the officials the chance to intervene. O’Neil will be waiting a while for the apology he’s expecting.
LWB: Pascal Struijk – 5.94
Struijk struggled against Villa in what is likely to be his last stint at left-back for a while, with Max Wober waiting to take his place. Both Villa goals came from Leeds’ left side, with Leon Bailey allowed to cut inside on to his left foot on both occasions. Shortly after the second goal, Struijk was replaced by Wober.
RWB: Luke Thomas – 6.07
More often than not, scraping a six is enough to keep players out of the Worst XI but in the absence of many strugglers on the right flank this weekend, Thomas gets the nod after giving away possession 19 times against Forest. He wasn’t the worst Fox. He wasn’t even the worst in their back four, with Daniel Amartey scoring 6.02 in the centre.
CM: Youri Tielemans – 5.96
The Belgium midfielder lost possession even more often than Thomas – 20 times – as Leicester slumped to their fourth consecutive Premier League defeat. Tielemans also lost two of his seven duels while being fortunate to avoid a red card for a second-half foul while already on a booking.
CM: Jordan Henderson – 5.91
As Liverpool floundered at Brighton, their skipper resorted to going direct but none of his five long passes found a team-mate. Booked in the first half; hooked in the second as the Reds gave Jurgen Klopp a performance so bad, he can’t remember a worse one.
AM: Heung-min Son – 5.71
The lowest-rated Spurs player in a miserable north London derby, Son had one first-half chance saved by Aaron Ramsdale but overall turned in another performance way below the standards we’ve come to expect from the joint-holder of the Golden Boot. Won none of his four duels; none of his four crosses found a team-mate; and lost possession 14 times. He was most active on the edge of his own box, according to his heat map.
FWD: Mo Salah – 5.74
Forced one save from Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez in the first half but was anonymous thereafter. From the pocket of Levi Colwill, Salah lost possession 15 times while winning only two of eight duels.
FWD: Aleksandar Mitrovic – 5.33
Mitrovic toiled as a Newcastle player but he’s struggled more when playing against his former side. This was the fifth game he’s faced the Magpies in which he’s failed to score. Had a wonderful chance to break his duck but his choice of carpet slippers over long studs saw him slip and screw up a second-half penalty.
Read more: 16 Conclusions from the derbies – Manchester | North London
