Trent Alexander-Arnold says he is relishing the extra responsibility of being part of Liverpool's leadership group within the squad.
Alexander-Arnold was promoted into the players' committee before the start of last season as Jurgen Klopp reshuffled the pack after Gini Wijnaldum's departure. The defender won a vote from his team-mates to join skipper Jordan Henderson, vice-captain James Milner and Virgil van Dijk, while Alisson Becker and Andy Robertson were also given the nod from the rest of the squad.
For Alexander-Arnold, being selected for the group was vindication of his growing stature within the club and the No.66 spoke of his pride at being nominated by his colleagues in an exclusive chat with the ECHO.
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Alexander-Arnold has always professed a dream to one day become the captain of Liverpool and the step up to join his more experienced colleagues was a source of pride and an extra step towards that aim for the now 24-year-old.
"I enjoy the responsibility," Alexander-Arnold said, "It's something I like, I always have and I think I always will. I think I have always been one of the most competitive players on the team and I think that rubs off on the lads as well.
"People go about it in different ways but I have always thought I am someone who can motivate others by what I do on the pitch and the people around me. So I think in that way I have enjoyed the responsibility. And that is something I enjoy, going out there and being a leader and leading by example.
"[It means a lot] definitely as it was voted for by the lads as well, which means a lot. If the manager picks it, it means he sees that in you but it's always good coming from your team-mates and lads you share the dressing room with, who you see in and around the building. They know who the leaders are and who they look for in motivation and to lead them. So it is an honour and I enjoy the responsibility."
It's been a largely disappointing campaign for the Reds, with just a top-four place left to fight for in the Premier League. A 5-2 humbling at home to Real Madrid in the first leg of their last-16 tie also leaves their Champions League participation hanging by a thread ahead of the return game in the Spanish capital later this month.
Long-term, however, Alexander-Arnold believes there is much to be excited about for a squad that has invested in younger players like Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo since the start of 2022.
Further high-profile additions are expected this summer before the club get set to host crowds of up 61,000 next season following the completion of the Anfield Road expansion project later this year.
Owners Fenway Sports Group are also continuing their search for external investment behind the scenes in an effort to provide Klopp with what he needs to continue the rejuvenation of his squad on the pitch and Alexander-Arnold is looking forward to what he feels is a bright future at his boyhood club.
Alexander-Arnold, who was chatting to the ECHO at the launch of the new Under Armour store in Liverpool One, added: "There's definitely [a lot to be excited about]. I think if you look at the signings we've made, they have been young players who are in their early 20s and so on, so it is a good mix of youth and experience. We've got lads from the Academy, Stefan (Bajcetic), for example, who has had an outstanding season, so yes, it's exciting. There's a lot going on.
"Look at the new stand that is going up, there's a lot to be looking forward to and I think the best thing that can happen now is to go and get top four and make sure we're able to go and achieve what we want to go and achieve."
Liverpool's stark drop-off from last season can be explained, to an extent, by the injury issues they have been forced to deal with this term. The likes of Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Andy Robertson, Roberto Firmino and Naby Keita have all been sidelined for significant periods, while Diogo Jota recently returned after four months out. Luis Diaz has been absent since early October and Thiago Alcantara is another who is currently on the shelf after suffering a hip issue.
"You never want to lose players, no matter what throughout the season but it's football and these things happen," Alexander-Arnold says. "That is part of the game but there are no excuses on our part.
"We've got a good enough squad to go and win games and I think the whole squad will be needed between now and the end of the season. It's an intense year, throw in a World Cup on top of that as well and it's always going to bring on fresh injuries and different problems but for us, like I said, we will just throw the kitchen sink at getting the top four now."
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