Liverpool vs. Arsenal: Rating the Arsenal Players at Anfield

I feel like I say this every week now, but that was some amazing win by Arsenal.

There are few better feelings than to steal a match in injury time, and the fact that the Gunners reversed what usually happens to them made this victory even sweeter.

Liverpool dominated for almost the entire match and could have scored five or six goals instead of the one measly Laurent Koscielny own-goal that was handed to them in the 23rd minute.

Most of the credit for keeping Liverpool out of the goal should go to the outstanding Wojciech Szczesny, who had perhaps his best game between the posts for Arsenal. His incredible reflexes and presence in goal did just enough to keep the Reds out, and his double save of Dirk Kuyt's penalty and followup is goalkeeping at its best.

Both Arsenal goals, as often happens to the Gunners, came from absolutely nothing. The first was headed home by Robin van Persie as a result of a brilliant Bacary Sagna cross and some poor defending from Jamie Carragher.

The second was pure magic. Much like his wondrous goal against Everton, a lofted ball over the top of the defence was put in by Alex Song, and van Persie volleyed home a stunning winner past Pepe Reina at the near post to somehow give Arsenal all three points.

Since Chelsea lost today, Arsenal find themselves improbably in pole position to finish in fourth place, and possibly third, depending on the result of the Tottenham-Manchester United fixture.

It is a fantastic day in North London.

Wojciech Szczesny: 9

In what may well have been his best goal-keeping performance in an Arsenal shirt, the young Pole in goal single-handedly kept the Gunners in the game, making numerous crucial, acrobatic saves to repeatedly keep Liverpool out of the goal.

His double-save of Dirk Kuyt's penalty and attempted put-back was some of the best goalkeeping one can see it football. And Szczesny was totally helpless to thwart Laurent Koscielny's stroke of incompetence when the Frenchman inadvertently directed the ball into his own net.

Kieran Gibbs: 6

Gibbs did not have a stunning game, and he did make occasional slip-ups, but he did well in both defence and attack when he was called upon.

By no means did Gibbs shut down the left side of Arsenal's defence; indeed Liverpool's wide men frequently exploited space on the flanks that they should not have had. But, overall, Kieran Gibbs was an asset to Arsenal on the day—not a hindrance.

Laurent Koscielny and Thomas Vermaelen: 4.5 and 6.5

Koscielny clearly had the worse day of the two center-backs, as he frequently looked uncertain in his play and made the crucial and unforced error of diverting Jordan Henderson's cross into the back of his own net.

Vermaelen was better, but not much better. I believe that his exertions in midweek for Belgium took a toll on the Verminator, and he did not shut down Luis Suarez and Co. as much as he could have. A back injury hampered Vermaelen late in the match, as well.

Bacary Sagna: 7

Sagna was clearly the better of the two full-backs, and he turned in the best and most-balanced performance of any Arsenal defender.

He could have done more defensively at times, but Bac was generally solid and assured. What the Frenchman will be remembered for, however, is his expert cross out of nowhere to Robin van Persie for Arsenal's first goal just before halftime. It gave Arsenal crucial momentum and an obviously more valuable goal.

Alex Song: 6

Aside from his one moment of magic to supply Robin van Persie with the pass that the Dutchman turned into the winning goal, Alex Song did not have a very good game.

He was frequently careless with possession in midfield, giving the ball away whenever Liverpool pressed and often letting opposing attackers penetrate the first level of the Arsenal's defence.

Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky: 5.5

Mikel Arteta's day was abruptly cut short by a fairly innocuous-looking challenge from Jordan Henderson, but he did well to glue the midfield together before he was sadly stretchered off while unconscious.

Both midfielders, though gave away the ball much too frequently and were a significant factor in Liverpool's dominance throughout the match. It was a very uncharacteristic game from both, especially from Rosicky, who went anonymous for much of the match.

Yossi Benayoun: 3.5

There's not a whole lot to say about Yossi, who has complained of a lack of playing time recently and was somewhat appeased by surprisingly being named in the Starting XI against his former club.

Benayoun was completely anonymous for most of the match, and I cannot remember a single instance in which he contributed anything positive to Arsenal on the day.

Theo Walcott: 6.5

Theo is a very hot and cold player, and against Liverpool, he was largely cold.

He was part of the large group of players that succumbed to Liverpool's pressing strategy and failed to find the space necessary to make his devastating runs in behind the defence.

As Steve McManaman stated during the match, Walcott will never get Arsene Wenger to play him as a central striker if he cannot improve his ball retention ability and hold-up play.

Robin van Persie: 9

Who else would Arsenal turn to for that one moment of magic needed to win the game than the man who scored his 30th and 31st goals to lift the Gunners to victory.

Van Persie's first goal was a great bit of skill, but his second was sheer brilliance. In one flowing motion, he struck Alex Song's lofted pass with power and uncanny precision to beat Pepe Reina at his near post. It was a priceless goal from a man whom Arsenal must re-sign at any price this summer.

Substitutes:

Abou Diaby: 6.5

Diaby only had a 28-minute appearance before he was withdrawn with yet another injury, and he performed better than the rest of Arsenal's midfield when he was on the pitch. It's extremely sad to see a player's career be destroyed in slow motion before our eyes like Diaby's is.

Gervinho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: N/A

Both wingers can feel unlucky that they didn't start the match but were generally positive when they came on for late cameos. Oxlade-Chamerlain almost added a third in extra time when he launched a thunderbolt that went just wide of Pepe Reina's goal.

Follow @AmeriGooner