Lionel Messi 8, Frenkie de Jong 8, Antoine Griezmann 7: Barcelona player ratings v Real Sociedad

Barcelona come from behind to knock Sociedad off top spot in La Liga

BARCELONA RATINGS: Marc-Andre ter Stegen, 7: Key saves during Barca’s best performance of the season against the injury hit league leaders. Superb close range double save with his leg from the goalscorer Willian Jose after 84 minutes. AFP

Jordi Alba, 8: His 30th minute equaliser was his first of the season, but he’s been involved in more goals this season (6) than any other defender. Got another assist as he crossed to set up De Jong to put side ahead. A one-man wing. Excellent. AP

Oscar Mingueza, 7: A reserve team player last season and in as yellow card collector Lenglet dropped. Ronald Koeman decision to give youth a chance vindicated. Getty

Ronald Araujo, 7: One of three defenders under 23 and the Uruguayan was solid alongside fellow 21-year-old Mingueza. In for the injured Pique (Sergi Roberto and Ansu Fati are also injured). Pique was impressed with his aggression and drive. AFP

Sergino Dest, 7: Another 90 minutes for the American and while not as effective as Alba on the opposite side, combined well with Pedri and important in Barca’s best first half of the season. EPA

Frenkie De Jong, 8: Clearly onside but had to wait for VAR to approve after he put side ahead after 43 dominant minutes. First goal of the season for the Dutchman who covered much ground. Strong in the air too. AFP

Sergio Busquets, 6: Just six games short of his 600th Barca appearance, he moved up to 4th in their all-time appearance chart ahead of Carlos Puyol, on 594 games. Past his best but still worth a start and made more tackles than any other player. Reuters

Pedri, 8: In for out-of-form Coutinho and headed wide early on and touch to Alba set up equaliser. The 18-year-old Canarian, playing as an attacking midfielder, was full of energy to suit Barca’s pressing which worked against the Basques. Smashed against the post and was substituted a minute later after fine defending. Hugely impressive. EPA

Antoine Griezmann, 7: As busy as his new ponytailed hairstyle against his former club and involved in setting up equaliser. Rounded goalkeeper and struck crossbar with a shot after 36 minutes. More shots than any player on the pitch, despite leaving field after 65 minutes. EPA

Lionel Messi, 8: Combined well with Pedri and full of encouragement. He’s only 20 games short of Xavi’s all-time appearance record. Still the best passer in football and key in his 300th win at Camp Nou. A shame there were no fans to see it. AFP

Martin Braithwaite, 7: Playing wide of Messi and should have scored but shot over after 37. Tireless from the striker, but little end product. AFP

SUBS: Francisco Trincao, 6: On for Griezmann after 66 minutes. Booked in 88th minute. AP

Carles Alena, 6: On for Busquets on 67 minutes. Booked in 92nd minute as Barca recorded their first consecutive wins of the season to move up to fifth, but it was four straight victories at Camp Nou. AFP

Miralem Pjanic, 6: On for Pedri on 74 minutes as the Catalans lived more dangerously against tough opponents in the second half. AFP

Clement Lenglet, 6: On for Mingueza after 79 minutes, the fourth substitute in 13 minutes. AFP

Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman praised his side's relentless pressing after their 2-1 win over Real Sociedad, when the Catalans finally came alive after an awful start to the season.

Real Sociedad began the night as La Liga leaders and took the lead through Willian Jose but Barca quickly overcame the early setback thanks to strikes from Jordi Alba and Frenkie de Jong before the break.

"The first half was fantastic, we should have scored more goals. We were intense, we put them under a lot of pressure and we ran ourselves into the ground," Koeman said.

"Real Sociedad are excellent on the ball but we kept robbing it off them, we pressed them so well. It was an open game because our opponents know how to play very well but the game belonged to us and it was a deserved triumph."

Lionel Messi missed several chances as well as misplacing a couple of key passes, but Koeman said he was pleased with his captain's work rate.

"This is the team I want to see. Every player played out of their skin. The biggest difference was our play without the ball today, and Messi worked very hard in that respect, pressing a lot, and so did everyone else," he said.

"That was the attitude we have to have when we don't have the ball."

Real Sociedad had been on a nine-game unbeaten run in the league when they arrived at the Camp Nou but they struggled to cope with Barca, and coach Imanol Alguacil praised the Catalans for their efforts.

"We saw the best Barca we have seen for a very long time, especially defensively," he said.

"That speaks very highly of them and the respect they had for this game. We hadn't seen a Barca this aggressive for so long. Even Messi was diving to the floor to win tackles."