After watching Milos Kerkez's performance against Arsenal, Gary Neville observed a notable improvement in the player's game. Liverpool managed to secure a point at the Emirates Stadium, which allowed them to extend their unbeaten streak across all competitions to ten matches. While the title race may still be out of reach, the Reds have managed to hold onto a top-four position for now.
The match was not a pivotal moment for Arne Slot's squad, yet many have come forward to commend Liverpool's effort following the draw with Arsenal. However, it’s worth noting that some critiques suggested that this praise might be misplaced (https://www.rousingthekop.com/2026/01/08/liverpool-praise-after-arsenal-draw-is-unwarranted-slot-should-be-ashamed-of-harrowing-statistic/).
Let’s set the record straight: Liverpool DID NOT mark a significant turnaround with their goalless draw against Arsenal. Even Slot acknowledged that the team’s performance mirrored those of their recent outings, which had drawn significant criticism.
👇 Join the conversation; share your thoughts by clicking the comment button on the bottom left!
Among those commenting is former Manchester United and England right-back, Gary Neville, who took a moment to highlight Milos Kerkez in his analysis. In his remarks on The Gary Neville Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/there-was-a-lot-to-admire-arsenal-spurn-chance-to/id582614834?i=1000744369608), Neville admitted his prior criticisms of Kerkez this season but noted a marked improvement during the match against Bukayo Saka.
Neville stated: “Kerkez, whom I’ve been critical of throughout the season regarding how he integrated into the Liverpool team, truly stepped up. He was competitive, really going after Saka, and displayed a more aggressive style in his defending—lower and fiercer.”
It’s important to recognize that Neville isn't the only one who has scrutinized the Liverpool left-back since his summer transfer. Former manager Alan Pardew had previously remarked that Kerkez appeared to be struggling (https://www.rousingthekop.com/2025/10/27/alan-pardew-gives-honest-thoughts-on-struggling-milos-kerkez-at-liverpool-this-season/). Nevertheless, it seems that the former Bournemouth player simply required some time to adjust to his new environment and is now flourishing at Anfield.
Who would you consider the Man of the Match from Liverpool’s hard-fought draw with Arsenal?
It was a much-improved performance from the Reds today!
👇 Share your opinions; use the comment button on the bottom left to contribute to the discussion!
Milos Kerkez has discussed his enhanced form (https://www.rousingthekop.com/2025/12/22/milos-kerkez-explains-the-one-change-that-has-seen-his-form-at-liverpool-pick-up/) over the past month. Although he didn’t have the chance to play alongside Florian Wirtz against Arsenal, he still delivered a solid performance. According to Sofascore (https://www.sofascore.com/football/match/liverpool-arsenal/HQfh#id:14025019), the left-back made an impressive seven defensive contributions in the match against Mikel Arteta’s squad.
Notably, he successfully completed four out of four tackles and triumphed in five of his seven ground duels. While he was dribbled past once, Kerkez largely managed to keep Saka under control until the English winger was substituted late in the game.
