Trent A. showing great promise for Liverpool / Image via skysports.com
Teenage Sensation
The highly-anticipated derby match at Old Trafford on Sunday ended up being a fiercely-contested affair, just as it should when England’s greatest rivals go head to head.
Liverpool seemed like sure winners as they headed into the closing stages of the match with a 1-0 lead, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic turned out to be a saviour for his side as he scored a late equalised to continue his team’s unbeaten run in all competitions.
We covered the game with five key points you have previously read HERE, whereas I wanted to present the case for arguably the biggest impression from the Old Trafford match – Liverpool’s teenage sensation Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Moment to Remember
The Liverpool teenager made his full Premier League debut in Liverpool’s 1-1 draw at Manchester City, as Jurgen Klopp fielded the 18-year-old as a replacement for first-choice right-back Nathaniel Clyne who was out with abdominal injury.
And instead of deploying James Milner at right-back and Alberto Moreno on the opposite side, Jurgen Klopp opted for a surprise inclusion in Liverpool starting line-up.
Young Trent Alexander-Arnold could not have dreamt of a better introduction to senior action than a match against his boyhood team’s biggest rivals. Following two League Cup starts and one in the FA Cup, Alexander-Arnold was this way given the biggest honour of them all – to start against the great Manchester United.
And if you think his knees trembled in front of the challenge, you would be dead-wrong. Jurgen Klopp’s confidence in the young prospect was repaid with a confident performance from the boy who looks like a viable long-tern solution for the Anfield outfit.
Impressive Performance
Trent Alexander-Arnold surprised us with his commanding performance, there is no denying.
Truth be told, big games tend to draw out the best of players, most of all when it comes to performing for your boyhood club against the bitter rivals – Trent’s rivalling number Marcus Rashford displayed the same level of maturity and confidence in his first-ever Premier League match against Arsenal and subsequently versus Manchester City – and Liverpool’s prospect was no exception from the rule.
He gained footing quickly after kick-off whistle, doing his best to fulfil his duties both in defence and in attack. His well-balanced performance resulted in neutralising the United’s attacking threat in Anthony Martial, whereas Trent also had a noteworthy moment upfront when his effort from inside the area got bolocked by United defence.
Having shown great focus and composure, Trent enjoyed 56 touches of the ball, made three tackles, two interceptions and eight clearances – numbers which illustrate his influence in what has been described an overall positive performance from the teenager.
Trent’s complete statistical overview can be viewed below:
Trent Alexander-Arnold could be in line for an extended spell in the first team as Liverpool prepare for a replay FA Cup third round match at Home Park in Plymouth.
The Reds can be found at 8/11 betting odds to claim a HT/FT victory and progress into the next stage of the competition.
Bright Future
Liverpool did not only get an option at the right-back, but they have also introduced a tactically intelligent footballer who could be on his way to write history with his bellowed club.
Jurgen Klopp is no stranger to promoting youth and it seems that young Trent could vastly benefit from the German’s guidance at Liverpool.
Former Borussia Dortmund boss made Alexander-Arnold one of the three youth players to be promoted to first-team and judging from what we saw from the lad in his first-ever Premier League match, Trent is here to stay. Great educator as he is, Jurgen Klopp was quick to compliment his young player, highlighting his ability to neutralise and contain one of the quickest players in the Premier League.
Judging by the looks of it, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future at Liverpool looks bright.
What gives great promise to his potentially great career at Liverpool is his versatility. Naturally a central midfielder with a strong engine and the ability to pierce forward, Arnold looks like a younger version of key soldier James Milner.
I bet he wouldn’t mind replicating Milner’s career, albeit with the risk of being called and labelled “boring” like his more experienced teammate.
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