Arsenal Player Ratings: Gyokeres Proves He Isn't Ready for Man City, While Eze Shines in Attack

ARSENAL edged their way into the Champions League semi-finals with a cagey 0-0 home draw.

The Gunners relied on their 1-0 advantage from last week’s first leg to in the last four.

Arsenal were more than pleased with qualifying for the semi-final, despite a forgettable performanceCredit: Getty

fans have been calling for their team to show more attacking intent, and although this was a better showing, Mikel Arteta’s side couldn’t even give their supporters a goal to celebrate.

They won’t care, though, as they earned a second consecutive Champions League semi-final spot for the first time in the club’s history.

There will be no time to celebrate, however, with a MASSIVE match in the Premeir League on Sunday, as the Gunners head to the Etihad to face title rivals .

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

DAVID RAYA – 5

Got away with a shocking pass out from the back.

has been one of Arsenal’s best players this season, but he has made mistakes like that a few times in recent weeks.

David Raya struggled on the ball at timesCredit: Getty

CRISTHIAN MOSQUERA – 6

When deployed as a right-back, he looks like a centre-half playing out of position.

Yet he still copes very well and rarely puts a foot wrong when called upon.

Got away with one when he put two hands in the back of Maximiliano Araujo inside the Arsenal penalty area.

Mosquera could have given away a penaltyCredit: Reuters

WILLIAM SALIBA – 6

Sloppy pass to give Sporting an opportunity through Francisco Trincao inside 20 minutes.

Other than that he was his usual calm self. His aerial dominance is so useful to help Arsenal stop counter attacks.

GABRIEL MAGALHAES – 7

Always solid and tonight was no different.

You have to wonder where Arsenal would be without the reliability that Gabriel and Saliba offer them week-in-week-out.

PIERO HINCAPIE – 7

Arsenal have missed Hincapie in recent weeks. The full-back was becoming one of their best performers before picking up a knock on international break.

This display showed what he can offer.

He is so tenacious in defence, and has started to offer a fair bit going forward, too.

Hincapie is starting to become one of Arsenal’s best performersCredit: Alamy

MARTIN ZUBIMENDI – 7

A much better performance from the Spaniard, who really struggled during .

There was still a few sloppy touches here and there, but Zubimendi was doing both the offensive and defensive parts of the game with a lot more intent.

Zubimendi looked more like the player Arsenal hoped they had signed in the summer this eveningCredit: Reuters

DECLAN RICE – 7

Missed training yesterday due to illness, but managed to fight back to be involved here.

He is always giving his absolute everything to recover loose balls, break up play and drive his team forward.

But it is so clear to see that he is running on an empty tank every time he steps out on that pitch.

EBERECHI EZE – 8

Right from the first minute he was trying to get Arsenal to attack.

Whether that was with the ball at his feet or screaming at his teammates to carry it forward themselves.

He showed the attacking intent that Arsenal fans have been demanding from their team in recent weeks, but unfortunately couldn’t provide the goal or assist to go with it.

Eze was one of the players most determined to take the attacking initiativeCredit: Alamy

NONI MADUEKE – 5

The winger was kicked for the entire first leg, and this game was no different.

His close control meant Sporting had no choice but to bring him down when he was running at their back line.

However, when he did get past his man, he was unable to create anything and ofte took far too many touches.

VIKTOR GYOKERES – 3

The Swede got into two great positions inside the first 20 minutes. The first he blindly passed straight back to a Sporting player, and the second he blasted over from the edge of the box.

This was an example of where his technical ability just seems to fall well short of what is required. You would be shocked to see him start against Manchester City on Sunday.

There’s no doubting Gyokeres’ ability to get into scoring positions but he looks way short of the technical level required to start against Man CityCredit: Alamy

GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 6

His work rate and blistering pace were the only two reasons that Arsenal didn’t give up a disastrous opening goal through a silly free-kick routine.

Geny Catamo had a free run at David Raya, but Martinelli saved his side with his recovery run.

There were some bright moments, but like Madueke, he needs to find some end product fast.

SUBSTITUTES

KAI HAVERTZ (for Gyokeres, 56mins) – 6

Didn’t exactly change the game after Gyokeres’ poor performance, but is just so much more technically sound than the Swede.

MAX DOWMAN (for Madueke, 63mins) – 7

You could feel the buzz around the Emirates crowd when Dowman was readying himself to come on.

Sporting had no way to deal with the 16-year-old other than fouling him.

Always so brave on the ball, you have to wonder if he is due a Premier League start on Sunday…

Dowman was a joy to watch once againCredit: Getty

GABRIEL JESUS (for Eze, 79mins) – N/A

LEANDRO TROSSARD (for Martinelli, 79mins) – N/A