Arsenal extended their winless streak in the Premier League to four games as they were once again held by Burnley in a scoreless affair at Turf Moor this evening.
The Gunners dominated the possession but were often pegged back by an organised Burnley side, who defended diligently and rarely allowed the attackers any space inside the penalty box. The Clarets would be ruing a missed opportunity from Jay Rodriguez, who could have sealed the game in their favour.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are still dawdling in mid-table. The north London giants were lucky to get away with a point here and with Mikel Arteta just securing one Premier League win since taking charge of the side in December; things must improve in the coming weeks.
Here are the Arsenal players rated in their draw with Burnley
Bernd Leno 7.5
It wasn’t a quiet game for the German international, who was challenged by the Burnley attackers, especially in set-piece opportunities. But, he deserves credit for standing firm and preserving his clean sheet. Could have done nothing if Rodriguez’s shot had gone in.
Hector Bellerin 7
It was a mixed performance from Bellerin, who was a threat in the final third. His crosses from the far side were one of Arsenal’s prime source of creativity. But defensively, the Spaniard lacked resilience and should have been more disciplined when it came to closing down attackers from the far side.
Shkodran Mustafi 7.5
Starting ahead of Sokratis, Mustafi played well despite making a howler in the last Premier League match. The German imposed his physical dominance by clearing out numerous crosses swung in by the Burnley attackers.
David Luiz 7.5
David Luiz’s signatory build-up play seems to be improving, with the Brazilian notably threading in a sumptuous long ball that led to an excellent chance for Aubameyang. However, he needs to improve defensively.
Bukayo Saka 7
It was an eventful game for Saka. The youngster looked to venture forward, even though at times allowed the Burnley players to find more freedom on the far side. He was later subbed off in the second half.
Granit Xhaka 7.5
Xhaka looked disciplined. The midfielder showed excellent versatility and understanding by dropping in between the centre backs whenever it was needed. Moreover, his passing was also top-notch as he also created an opening for Aubameyang.
However, after shifting into a left-back role in the second half, the Swiss international struggled to keep up with the game.
Matteo Guendouzi 7.5
Guendouzi was one of the better performers for Arsenal this evening. The Frenchman orchestrated the ball when Arsenal was in possession and made it easier for the Gunners to dominate proceedings.
Gabriel Martinelli 7
Martinelli certainly lacked that flair and vigour that made him one of the breakout stars for Arsenal this season. While he did combine well with the attackers, at times, he failed to provide a direct approach, mainly due to some diligent defending from Burnley.
Mesut Ozil 6.5
It was the same story for the German, who, despite combining really with the likes of Guendouzi and Martinelli, struggled to craft that telling ball.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 5
Looked incredibly rusty after making his return from suspension. The Gabonese international missed at least three excellent opportunities, one of which was a free header. He certainly needs to improve if Arsenal are to return to winning ways in the coming weeks.
Alexandre Lacazette 7.5
Even with Aubameyang back, Lacazette continued to impress, particularly when it comes to his overall work-rate. He tracked back when it was needed and even shifted into a wide role, notably providing an excellent cross to Aubameyang.
SUBSTITUTES
Lucas Torreira 6.5
Replaced Saka at the start of the second half, which turned out to be a risky decision from Arteta. Torreira’s introduction forced Xhaka to play at left-back, ultimately breaking Arsenal’s shape.
Joe Willock 6
Replaced Ozil just after the hour mark but also failed to make the desired impact.
Eddie Nketiah N/A
A late replacement for the injured Lacazette.
