Arsenal vs Sheffield United player ratings: Pepe stars as Maitland-Niles aids revival


Emi Martinez: He didn’t have much to do in the first half, but he kept his focus to salvage Ollie Norwood’s long-range effort solidly in the end of the half. He executed some exceptional long balls in the middle of Sheffield United to keep Arsenal up front. He could not do much about the goal, but made a great stop shortly after to keep Arsenal level. 7 7

Shkdoran Mustafi: He didn’t have much to do overall, but he made crucial blocks late. 6 6

David Luiz: He responded to his horror show at Etihad very well, as it had a generally positive outing on Bramall Lane. I didn’t risk in dangerous areas and it seemed calm. He was unfortunate with his injury. 6 6

Sead Kolasinac: It didn’t impress much as the left center back, as it seemed to be filling a void rather than serving a real purpose on the side. He didn’t seem to be in sync with the rest of his defense and was slow to react to dangerous crossings in his area of ​​the field. He made the strange decision to crash the ball against Mustafi in the final moments that led to Sheffield United’s draw. 4 4

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Ainsley Maitland-Niles: The 22-year-old had a shaky start but calmed down as the first half progressed. Although Sheffield United tried to close his area of ​​the court, he was still precise with his pass and was also in good positions to intervene when necessary. He started having more fun late in the half with a few explosions of confidence going forward as it brought more balance to the way Arsenal attacked. He wasn’t as influential in the second half, but he still made some good strides to bond with Pepe. 7 7

Joe Willock: It took him a while to hit midfield, but once he did, Sheffield United struggled to get closer to him. When he started to split, his passes freed Arsenal’s wingers and the right moments to create scoring opportunities. He seemed to think too much when he was in the last third, however, with unnecessary touches. 6 6

Granit Xhaka: It was always an option for the Arsenal centrals, but it really took over after the goal. He moved the ball from his midfield position very quickly to keep the Gunners in control. As was the case at Southampton, he also moved forward when necessary and was surprisingly agile in doing so. There was a stage where he seemed to lose control in the second half, but he remained safe and soon returned to normal. 6 6

Kieran Tierney: Moving again, the Scotsman felt extremely comfortable carrying Arsenal down the left wing and dealing with the loose balls that fell in front of him. He played a great ball to the edge of the box for Pepe, who should have been buried. It was a consistent start in the second half and he was unlucky not to have one of his crosses saved. 7 7

Nicolas Pepe: He looked much better than Southampton as he moved the ball much faster once he was in possession and could stalk similar positions to those he took so often in Brighton. He suffered his penalty very well and looked much more confident afterward, pinching Dean Henderson’s gloves with a shot from outside the area minutes later. It continued to be a nuisance for Sheffield United and he could have had a second goal if he hadn’t rushed a shot to the edge of the box. I didn’t have that much joy in the second half, but it kept the ball alive for Ceballos’s overtime winner. 8

Alexandre Lacazette: It took him a while to adjust properly to the pace of the game. When he arrived to receive the ball, the Frenchman struggled for him to stay or to find a teammate in the early stages of the game. He did well to win the penalty kick and was much better at bringing his teammates into the game after the goal. 6 6

Bukayo Saka: The 18-year-old had a quiet game on the left despite being involved in accumulating the penalty. However, he did well to propel Arsenal towards the winner. 6 6

Substitutes

Rob Holding: His position once on the field was fine and he made interventions when necessary. 6 6

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Eddie Nketiah: It had a decent impact when it came in, as it gave the Blades a different problem to deal with. He held his head very well to choose Pepe in preparation for the winner. 6 6

Dani Ceballos: He reached his goal with supreme composure with what was the most important kick in the game. 6 6

Sokratis: Not enough to qualify. N / A

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