Lucas was a commanding presence at the back throughout
GK/Defence
Simon Mignolet – While there were no out-and-out howlers, Mignolet just doesn’t offer anything above and beyond the bare minimum. The top five or six clubs besides Liverpool have special goalkeepers, Mignolet is not special. Rating – 5
Jon Flanagan – Good return from Flanagan who came through another game unscathed and looked solid. Offers a more tenacious and aggressive right back option to Clyne and could challenge in the coming weeks. Rating – 7
Lucas Leiva – It would be churlish to call Lucas’s display ‘imperious’ when the team conceded two avoidable goals but he offered so much more than any other centre back this season: leadership, command of his defence and an aggressiveness that we’ve not seen in months. Daft decision that saw the free kick given away but no matter who gave the free kick away Liverpool were always going to struggle to defend it. Rating 8.5 Man of the Match
Tiago Ilori – Where Lucas was the leader, Ilori was his able deputy and provided the pace and height that Lucas lacked. The youngster is clearly a promising centre back but whether he’ll break through remains to be seen. Rating – 7
Brad Smith – Smith was rampaging up and down the left all night long again, and seems to possess rare levels of energy. The only downside was that he wasn’t quite as effective last night and his delivery was lacking. Rating – 6.5
