Trent Alexander-Arnold continues to prove an integral part to Liverpool’s setup, both in defence and attack. Jürgen Klopp handed Alexander-Arnold his senior debut back in January 2017, and now with 211 appearances to his name, the no.66 has gone on to make the right-back position his own in the Liverpool fold.
A mainstay in Klopp’s back four, Alexander-Arnold has unquestionably justified his importance to the Reds’ attacking plays as much as – if not more than – their defence. In Liverpool’s slender 1-0 win over West Ham on Saturday, the progressive full-back notched his 17th assist in all competitions this season as he set up Sadio Mané.
In 24 league games this term Alexander-Arnold has provided 11 assists, more than any other player in the Premier League. Prior to the current season, Alexander-Arnold’s best assist tally for a single season was 16 in all competitions. Trent is also within touching distance of matching Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard’s personal best tally of 18 assists from the 2007/08 season (all comps).
Similarly to Gerrard, Alexander-Arnold also claims set-piece duty for Liverpool where a handful of his assists stem from.
Alexander-Arnold made his international debut in 2018, aged just 19, less than a year after making his England U21 debut. Alexander-Arnold has since earned 16 caps for his country, with his first major tournament coming at the 2018 World Cup. Trent was ruled out of last year’s European Championships due to a hamstring injury, as England narrowly lost out to Italy in the Final.
There is strong competition at the right-back position within the England camp. Chelsea’s Reece James and Manchester City’s Kyle Walker are other notable players fighting for the chance to be Gareth Southgate’s primary right-sided defender.
With Southgate seeming to favour a back three with wing-backs, there is a growing possibility that the England manager could seek to accommodate Alexander-Arnold in a midfield role rather than in the Three Lions’ backline.
Alexander-Arnold celebrated his 23rd birthday last October and, with his best years likely still ahead of him, the future certainly looks bright for Liverpool’s homegrown hero.
