"Start learning Chinese buddy," "Always the weakest link" - Arsenal fans call out star for his 'stinker' of a performance in draw with Liverpool

In their 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield, some of Arsenal's defensive vulnerabilities were highlighted, particularly in the performance of Oleksandr Zinchenko. The Ukrainian left-back found himself at the center of criticism from fans, following a game where he struggled to keep up with Mohamed Salah.

The Gunners initially surged ahead, breaking the deadlock through Gabriel Magalhaes' deft touch on Martin Odegaard's free kick (4'). The center-back's goal, his first of the season, came after he eluded the defenders, getting past a bewildered Alisson Becker. Despite a prolonged VAR scrutiny for offside, the goal stood.

However, the lead didn't last very long. Liverpool responded with tenacity, and their moment arrived courtesy of Trent Alexander-Arnold's precise long pass. Zinchenko, who was tasked with containing Mohamed Salah, faltered, as his defensive positioning allowed the Egyptian wizard to capitalize (29').

Salah expertly cut inside, beating Zinchenko and putting the ball on his left foot, before unleashing a fierce strike past David Raya to equalize.

Zinchenko's struggles throughout the game continued, especially as he found it difficult keeping up with Salah's speed in the final third.

In the whole match, he only won five of his 10 ground duels and lost possession 12 times. Also, only four of his nine long balls were accurate. The Ukraine international managed just two clearances in the entire duration of the match.

After the game, Arsenal fans flooded X, expressing their frustrations with their Ukrainian left-back. One fan said:

"Start learning Chinese buddy"

Another fan added:

"Always the weakest link"

Here is a selection of their tweets:

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Declan Rice's stellar display against Liverpool earns Arsenal a valuable point

Arsenal secured a hard-fought draw at Anfield, which has drawn high praise from club legend Ian Wright, with a special commendation for Declan Rice.

Wright, speaking on Premier League productions, attributed the Gunners' confidence and composure against Liverpool to Rice's commanding presence (via TBR Football):

“I’ll take that point in the way we played today. I thought Declan Rice was magnificent. I didn’t feel we had a lot of fluidity in the game. I thought we defended well. Liverpool could’ve and maybe should’ve scored that goal but going to Anfield and taking a point is always going to be a good point.”

He added:

“I feel Rice is one of the main reasons why you can go to Anfield with confidence. Yes, you’d have liked to have seen more out of Odegaard and Saka and Martinelli but at the same time, for this team to go to Liverpool, to go a goal up, to come away with a draw, you have to take it as a good result.”

Rice, who joined Arsenal for a hefty £100 million fee, has increasingly shown his worth, turning any skepticism into admiration. His latest performance against Liverpool saw him provide the team with defensive solidity and balance.

The England international made five clearances and two interceptions, along with two tackles. This highlights his key contribution to keeping the opposition quiet.