Arsenal player ratings: Kiwior in solid audition for Real Madrid start as Lewis-Skelly & Nwaneri struggle in title blow

ARSENAL have both eyes on their mid-week tie with Real Madrid and were unable to pick up three points in the Premier League to give them momentum in Europe.

The Gunners played out at 1-1 draw against Everton at Goodison Park in what, for some players, seemed like more of a fitness test for the Champions League than anything else.

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Leandro Trossard scored the opening goal[/caption]

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Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye equalised from the spot[/caption]

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Myles Lewis-Skelly gave away the penalty in a moment of rash defending[/caption]

Leandro Trossard opened the scoring with a fired finish into the bottom corner that gave Jordan Pickford no chance.

But a defensive error from young Myles Lewis-Skelly in the second-half gifted the Toffees a penalty that was dispatched by Iliman Ndiaye.

Arsenal are now 11 points behind Liverpool and the title race is dead and buried, but they will be hoping they can save their own lives, and season, on Tuesday night when Los Blancos visit the North London.

Here’s how SunSport’s Joshua Hall rated each Arsenal player’s performance…

David Raya – 5

Made a rare mistake at the start of the second half when he tried to use his feet on the edge of the box.

Fortunately for him, he was saved by his defenders.

Made a few good saves, but was sent the complete wrong way by Iliman Ndiaye’s penalty.

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Myles Lewis-Skelly – 4

The newly-promoted England international looks like a seasoned pro 99 per cent of the time, far wiser than his age of 18.

But for that one per cent, he seems to just completely lose his mind and show that he’s not as experienced as you first thought.

The teenager wrestled with Jack Harrison on the edge of the box and brought down the winger to give Ndiaye the chance to level the scores from the spot.

There will be much conversation as to whether the penalty was soft or not, but the point stands that Lewis-Skelly gave the referee yet another decision to make.

Tried to make up for his mistakes with a sensational solo run from deep inside his own half right until he was fouled on the edge of the Everton box. Declan Rice stung the hands of Pickford with the resulting free-kick.

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Myles Lewis-Skelly tripped Jack Harrison to give away a penalty that gave Everton the equaliser[/caption]

Jakub Kiwior – 8

There was a lot of pressure on the Polish centre-half to perform in only his third Premier League start of the season, given the likelihood of his involvement against Real Madrid on Tuesday.

He often comes in for criticism, but this was a solid audition from the defender.

It was nothing spectacular, but Kiwior looked assured at the back, including an Important block to stop Iliman Ndiaye from firing a thunderous effort into the back of the net in the first half.

While he played a terrific lofted ball from his own half to Leandro Trossard late in the first half, gifting the Belgian a golden opportunity at his second goal only to hit it straight at Jordan Pickford.

Not really his job, but he made a really poor cross that cleared every player in red when the Gunners had stitched together some really fluid football in the first half.

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Jakub Kiwior looked strong in an important match for him ahead of Real Madrid[/caption]

William Saliba – 7

Remained so calm when called upon, sweeping up on mistakes from Ben White and Jorginho when he needed to.

You’d be fair to make the assessment that Gabriel Magalhaes has been the better of the Arsenal centre-backs for the past season or two.

But in the absence of his Brazilian counterpart, Saliba was assured and confident in his defensive actions.

A sign of good things ahead of those Real Madrid clashes.

Ben White – 7

It was a first Premier League start for White since November 10, and a welcome sight for an injury-riddled Arsenal squad ahead of one of the biggest European nights in the club’s modern history.

That return was typified by a monster tackle on Tim Iroegbunam that received a roar from the away support inside Goodison to his side.

Looked rusty when he was caught on the ball in his own box and gifted Beto an opportunity, but had Saliba to clear up the danger.

Some solid minutes in the tank for the right-back before he was replaced by Jurrien Timber.

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Ben White was a welcome return for Arsenal[/caption]

Jorginho – 4

The Italian was wearing the armband from the off with Odegaard rested on the bench and Gabriel Magalhaes out until the end of the season.

But it wasn’t exactly a captain’s performance.

Much of the game seemed to pass him by at times and he was close to a calamitous error when he tried to mess about with the ball at the back in the 16th minute and gifted an opportunity to Everton.

Declan Rice – 7

Consistent dangerous crosses from corners and quick passing in the midfield helped Rice to keep Arsenal ticking.

While an exceptional interception helped start a first-half counter, but Trossard gave up the ball in 24th minute.

Sometimes he struggles without creativity around him, but he rarely puts in a bad performance.

Mikel Merino – 6

Playing in midfield for the first time since he started his make-shift centre-forward role at Leicester in February.

Looked good enough on the ball, but lacked any real creativity to cut Everton open when Arsenal needed to get a goal back in the second half.

The Spaniard took a blow to the head after a clash of heads with Jake O’Brien too, possibly giving Arteta even more injury concern.

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Arsenal fans had their hearts in their mouths when Mikel Merino needed treatment for a head injury in the first half[/caption]

Ethan Nwaneri – 5

Didn’t see much of the ball at all and struggled to combat Everton’s physical defending when he did get hold of it.

He’s often been a bright spark for the Gunners this season, but it’s okay to not be one of the best players on the pitch every time you play at 18 years old.

Mikel Arteta swapped him out at half-time in favour of giving Bukayo Saka some more minutes ahead of Real Madrid.

Raheem Sterling – 6

Constantly running into Everton defenders and not knowing how to get past any blue shirt that stood in his way.

However, he was alert to the situation to pick up the loose ball and kickstart a counter attack that led to Arsenal’s goal.

The Chelsea loanee held onto the ball really well to draw in the Everton defenders before offloading it to Trossard for his fifth assist in an Arsenal shirt.

Despite that involvement, he certainly didn’t look like a player that Mikel Arteta will want to rely on unless necessary.

Leandro Trossard – 8

Battled hard with Everton’s towering back line as he acted as a centre-forward for the Gunners.

Found himself in behind on three occasions in the first half and made the most of one of those opportunities.

A superb finish on his weaker left boot fired into the bottom corner of Pickford’s goal to put Arsenal ahead.

The Belgian offers something completely different going forward to Merino, but there’s a clear lack of physical presence up top when he does play.

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Leandro Trossard’s drilled effort opened the scoring at Goodison Park[/caption]

Subs

Gabriel Martinelli (for Sterling, 46min) – 6

When he gets going and starts running at his man he causes utter havoc.

Unfortunately, he just seems to lack the end product to convert all that threat into anything tangible.

Bukayo Saka (for Nwaneri, 46min) – 5

Wasn’t really able to influence the game despite having a full half of action to try and do so.

Maybe the winger pulled his foot slightly off the gas with an eye on Tuesday.

Jurrien Timber (for White, 61min) – 5

Didn’t get asked to do much, but didn’t offer a lot either.

Another change that felt more like it was about getting minutes in the tank for Madrid than anything else.

Martin Odegaard (for Jorginho, 71min) – 5

Not many players can have an immediate influence on a game when they come off the bench and only have 19 minutes to find a goal.

But Odegaard is supposed to be the man who can find the key to opposition defences, and this season he has done that so few and far between.

Kieran Tierney (for Lewis-Skelly, 75min) – 6

Nice drilled pass into Odegaard late in the second half to try and snatch three points.

Wasn’t on for long enough to make much more of an impact.