Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal – PLAYER RATINGS: Which Reds defender put forward a serious case to start their Premier League opener? Which Gunner is playing with a point to prove? And which over-ran midfielder scored 5/10?

Arne Slot and Liverpool edged Premier League rivals Arsenal 2-1 in Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead and Fabio Carvalho doubled the lead before Kai Havertz pulled one back for Arsenal, who failed to find an equaliser.

Mail Sport’s reporters in Philadelphia, Lewis Steele and Isaan Khan, deliver the player ratings from the game.

LIVERPOOL PLAYER RATINGS

BY LEWIS STEELE at the Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

Caoimhin Kelleher – 6.5

A weird night for the Irish goalkeeper. He nearly cost his team a goal inside the first two minutes when he took too long on the ball and an attempted pass struck striker Gabriel Jesus and bounced just wide of the goal. But some excellent passes otherwise.

Conor Bradley – 6.5

Not as involved going forward as he was against Real Betis, where he went off with an apparent knock. But still some nice moments, more so defensively as he passed a tough test against Gabriel Martinelli.

Jarell Quansah – 7.5

Making a serious case to start against Ipswich in the Premier League opener. Calm on the ball and always in the right place defensively. Quansah did well to tackle Kai Havertz and then made another last-ditch interception.

Jarell Quansah impressed for Liverpool against Arsenal in Philadelphia on Wednesday night

Sepp van den Berg – 7

Made a great tackle on Gabriel Jesus in the opening stages and put in another solid shift. He complained earlier this week that his £20million valuation is too high – but he is certainly not doing himself any favours if he wants that to be decreased.

Kostas Tsimikas – 5

Was beaten far too easily by Martin Odegaard for Arsenal’s first goal. Left back feels like an area Liverpool need to improve in the next 18 months with Andy Robertson not getting any younger. Tsimikas made some nice darts forward and also inverted into central areas.

Mohamed Salah celebrates from the floor after putting Liverpool ahead against Arsenal 

Dominik Szoboszlai – 7

Played in a different position than his cameo at No 9 against Real Betis. Here, he played in a deeper-lying midfielder role. The Hungary skipper got on the ball lots and kick-started many Reds attacks, with some tidy passes in tight areas. Put in a defensive shift, too.

Curtis Jones – 6.5

Good to see Jones back in the team after he limped off in Pittsburgh with a minor injury. The midfielder played the first half here in the heart of Liverpool’s midfield and had some nice touches.

Harvey Elliott – 8

By far the star man for Liverpool in the first half with two stellar assists. Elliott played in the No 10 role and constantly looked a threat, threading a beautiful through ball for the opener and then a sumptuous chip for the Reds’ second. Led the line as a No 9 in the second half.

Mohamed Salah – 7

Took his goal very well with a clinical finish, as you would expect. Liverpool’s captain looks very sharp with his runs in behind and he might have added an assist if his team-mates had their shooting boots on.

Diogo Jota – 7

Missed two golden opportunities in the first half – striking the post with one and mishitting another attempted shot after a cutback from Salah – but you can forgive the Portugal international for rustiness as this was his first outing of pre-season. Lovely link-up play.

Fabio Carvalho – 7

Had some lovely touches and took his goal extremely well but faded in and out of the game. It was interesting to see him deployed on the left wing again. Slot has told the Portugal-born star that he sees his best position as out wide. Can he push into the team this year?

Fabio Carvalho celebrates with Harvey Elliott after getting the second on the night 

Substitutes

Wataru Endo (for Jones 46) – Shielded the defence well but it was telling that he was not starting. Does Slot fancy him?

Trey Nyoni (for Jota 46) – Did not light up the match like he did in Pittsburgh the other night but still some nice touches for Nyoni.

Luca Stephenson (for Bradley 46) – Will be loving every second of this tour, this his second appearance after a loan move at Barrow last season.

Nat Phillips (for Quansah 71) – Will almost certainly leave Liverpool on a permanent deal this summer but is making up the numbers well on this tour.

Amara Nallo (for Van den Berg 71) – First time we have seen the young defender after his move from West Ham in 2023. Has been impressing coaches in training.

Owen Beck (for Tsimikas 71) – Another who was out on loan last season, the left back had some nice touches in this cameo.

Stefan Bajcetic (for Elliott 71) – Good to see the midfielder fit and healthy after a horror season last term with injury.

Tyler Morton (for Szoboszlai 71) – Spent last year on loan at Hull and is now fighting for his place at Liverpool. Two nice cameos on this tour.

Ben Doak (for Salah 71) – Lightning bolt winger is uber-direct and always looking to beat his man. Quiet night here, though.

Harvey Blair (for Carvalho 71) – Big lad throws his weight around. Joined Liverpool from Manchester United aged 12.

Unused substitutes: Vitek Jaros, Marcelo Pitaluga, Harvey Davies, Ibrahima Konate, Ryan Gravenberch, Luke Chambers, Kaide Gordon, James McConnell, Lewis Koumas.

ARSENAL PLAYER RATINGS

BY ISAAN KHAN at the Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

KARL HEIN: 5.5

Wasn’t at fault for the goals conceded and had to contend with much action in his area due to Arsenal’s first-half defensive holes. Made a good intervention on 19 minutes to clear the ball from an attacker in a sweeper-keeper fashion.

BEN WHITE: 6

Didn’t get on the ball much, and neither had moments of note in defence as the Liverpool attack went straight down the middle or targeted the left flank. The opposition possibly identified White’s side as the stronger of the two.

JAKUB KIWIOR: 5.5

Made a good cross field pass early on but had a rocky start after playing Mo Salah onside for Liverpool’s first goal. Centre back is the position he is most accustomed to, and who knows when he will get another chance to play there when the season starts — owing to Gabriel’s partnership with William Saliba. Did make a good recovery tackle on 64 minutes and played better in the second period.

GABRIEL: 5.5

Clearly found this task trickier than normal having to play without his trusted partner Saliba, who he has a telepathic understanding with. Should have done better for the Salah opening goal, reluctant to put a tackle on him before he scored. Made a great tackle on the counter attack on 68 minutes.

Gabriel seemed to be more vulnerable for Arsenal without William Saliba next to him

OLEKSANDR ZINCHENKO: 5.5

The first 15 minutes of the game saw Mo Salah give him a headache, particularly on the overlap. The fact Liverpool’s best attacks happened to coincide with his flank was concerning. But made some nice forays forward after Mikel Arteta changed the formation at the break.

THOMAS PARTEY: 5

Given the Declan Rice-style task of marshalling the area in front of the backline. Was often found filling in at the back amid the waves of attack. But in the middle, he was completely over-ran which piled on the pressure for his defenders.

KAI HAVERTZ: 6

As often seen with German, he can be having a quite game and then all of a sudden he crops up with a decisive moment. Here, he barely had many touches on the ball until his goal on 40 minutes, a neat finish using quick feet in front of the goal.

Kai Havertz was quiet for Arsenal up until he scored just before half-time against Liverpool

MARTIN ODEGAARD: 7.5

Warmed up as the game went on. Produced a nice assist for Havertz’s goal, turning Kostas Tsimikas inside out. He often looked threatening on the edge of the box with his ability to whip in threatening crosses. That quarterback-style of play, where he in effect dictates the tempo in the middle, came to the fore in the second half.

REISS NELSON: 5

A quiet first half and then was substituted on the break. His one particular highlight was a solid run down the wing and cross on 20 minutes which nearly resulted in a goalbound shot.

GABRIEL MARTINELLI: 7

Picked up from where he left off at the Manchester United match and looked sharp. Unleashed a shot from distance early on and provided a couple of low, pacey crosses after cutting back which should have resulted in a goal. He has come to the US to prove a point.

Gabriel Jesus needs to sharpen his shooting for Arsenal before the start of the new season 

GABRIEL JESUS: 6

Many signs of promise and a real handful, but not with his finishing. Closed down goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher numerous times, with his intervention after three minutes just trickling wide of the post. Used those mazy dribbling skills of his but struggled to get shots off. Was eager to get on the end of Martinelli’s cross in first half.

Manager: MIKEL ARTETA: 6

Played a fairly strong team from the squad he had out here in this final US pre-season game against skilled opposition. Would have been worthwhile to have started or substituted on earlier one of the more promising youngsters, such as Ethan Nwaneri or Myles Lewis-Skelly. Though that does have to be balanced with not over-exposing them.