Arsenal managed to secure a 2-2 draw against Sporting Lisbon in Portugal, but it was a hard-fought match for the Gunners. William Saliba and Granit Xhaka scored the goals that allowed Arsenal to come away with a point. However, the return leg at the Emirates promises to be an exciting match, with everything still to play for.
SunSport’s Anthony Chapman has given his player ratings for Arsenal, assessing who performed well and who had a game to forget. Matt Turner received a rating of 5, as he lacked the confidence of No1 Aaron Ramsdale and palmed the ball straight into Paulinho for Sporting’s second goal. Ben White also received a rating of 5, as he was not his usual composed self and his positioning was questionable.
William Saliba, on the other hand, received a rating of 7 for proving himself to be Arsenal’s real leader at the back. He took his goal well but could not get a rise out of his defensive partner. Jakub Kiwior had a debut to forget, receiving a rating of 4 for inexplicably ducking out of the way for Sporting’s equaliser. Fans who hailed him as the world’s best ball-playing defender may need to rethink their assessment.
Fabio Vieira received a rating of 8 for finally getting a chance to show what he’s all about, bagging an assist on his return to Portugal. He filled Martin Odegaard’s boots well and pulled strings throughout the game. Jorginho, on the other hand, received a rating of 5 as he was pressed hard by Sporting’s midfielders and struggled to keep pace with physical opponents.
Granit Xhaka received a rating of 6 for attempting to rouse his teammates with tenacity, but he could never get past second gear and was caught out several times. Bukayo Saka received a rating of 7 for always being a lively threat down the right and making himself constantly available for attacks. Gabriel Martinelli received a rating of 6 for being deployed in an unfamiliar role down the middle and never looking fully comfortable.
Reiss Nelson received a rating of 7 for another impressive performance, playing his way to a new contract. The subs also received ratings, with Takehiro Tomiyasu receiving a rating of 6 for keeping things tight on the left after replacing Oleksandr Zinchenko. Gabriel Magalhaes received a rating of 6 for bringing more stability through the middle after replacing Jakub Kiwior. Emile Smith Rowe received a rating of 6 for still being rusty after injury but good to get minutes on the field. Finally, Thomas Partey received a rating of 6 for doing his usual reliable job after being introduced in the 70th minute.
Overall, Arsenal will need to step up their game in the return leg at the Emirates if they want to progress in the Europa League. However, there were some standout performances from players like William Saliba and Fabio Vieira that will give fans hope for the future.