5 Arsenal players who underperformed against Liverpool | EFL Cup Semi-final 2021-22

#3 Thomas Partey

Arsenal v Southampton - Premier League

Just 48 hours after being knocked out of AFCON, Arsenal’s Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey returned to London to help his side in the EFL Cup.

His intentions were undoubtedly noble, but playing hours after taking a rather long flight to London was not the best idea.

Mikel Arteta rightly left Partey on the bench against Liverpool, and probably wouldn’t have called him on had the Gunners performed more convincingly. Against his good judgment, Arteta brought him on in the 74th minute in place of Emile Smith Rowe.

Partey looked clearly fatigued right from the get-go and was a mere spectator for Jota’s 77th-minute goal. The former Atletico Madrid man’s first contribution came in the 87th minute when he needlessly brought down Neco Williams and was rightfully booked for it. Three minutes later he lunged in on Fabinho with his studs showing and was given his second yellow.

The red card will keep him out of action for Arsenal’s vital Premer League clash against Burnley this Sunday.

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#2 Emile Smith Rowe

Arsenal v Sunderland - Carabao Cup Quarter Final

Operating in the inside-left channel against Liverpool, Arsenal’s golden boy Emile Smith Rowe endured a quiet night out on Thursday.

The young midfielder was outmuscled by the Reds players in the middle and never got around to demonstrating his creative brilliance. The player, who returned to the team after recovering from a groin injury, also looked not fully fit.

Smith Rowe is most effective when he is given the freedom to play in the hole, just behind the team’s centre-forward. However, with Lacazette drifting to the right more often than not, the 21-year-old never really got into the game.

Smith Rowe made only 14 passes, had negligible offensive contributions, and was dispossessed five times against Liverpool on Thursday.

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#1 Alexandre Lacazette

Lacazette in action for The Gunners - Premier League

Arsenal skipper Alexandre Lacazette was expected to lead the charge against Liverpool in the EFL Cup semi-final second leg on Thursday night. Instead, he was once again seen vacating central areas, resulting in another incoherent display by the Gunners.

As always, the Frenchman regularly dropped deep to help the midfielders, especially Bukayo Saka down the right hand side. His biggest mistake was not moving into his original position to at least try to threaten Liverpool’s goal.

To top it off, the Arsenal centre-forward was responsible for squandering their best opportunity of the night in the second half.

Four minutes after the restart, Lacazette was played through on goal brilliantly by Albert Sambi Lokonga, but the forward could not keep his right-footed effort on target.

Had he scored the equalizer early on in the second half, the Gunners would’ve had a real shot at booking their place in the final.