Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has dismissed criticism that Trent Alexander-Arnold isn’t a good defender and claimed the “world-class player” will always be in his team.
The Reds right-back suffered yet another England snub, with Gareth Southgate opting to not give him a minute in the most recent batch of fixtures. Alexander-Arnold was an unused substitute vs Italy, before missing out altogether against Germany.
It has left the 22-year-old sweating over his World Cup place with Southgate preferring a number of options instead of him. Following his disappointment with the national side, the defender is back with his club and back with a manager who knows how to get the best out of him.
Alexander-Arnold is primed to go straight back in the Liverpool line-up this weekend as they take on Brighton at Anfield. And while Klopp suggested the perception around his player was wrong, he did admit they were working to get his levels of consistency even higher.
"We can discuss selections until the World Cup starts, one of the reasons is you make massive stories on these things,” he told reporters. "My honest opinion would create headlines. A normal situation; a manager picks a team. I would have decided differently, obviously."
Klopp added: "We are fine here, it's completely different. I see Trent differently, that's clear. People talk about him not being a good defender, that's not true, he is a good defender, he doesn't always defend well, that's true. He's 23. We're working on it.
“Whatever team I would have at the moment, I would pick Trent. He is exceptional. England are blessed with players in this position.
“Reece James can play 3 at the back, he did that well for Chelsea. It's Gareth's decision. He made it. I see it differently. Doesn't mean I’m right and he’s wrong.”
On Alexander-Arnold’s reaction to his latest blow, Klopp said: "Trent came back not in a party mood but he accepts the manager's decision because he is extremely bright. The manager decides and more often than not here it is the case he is picked. It's clear, he's a world-class player."
Southgate is set to name his 26-man squad for the World Cup in Qatar next month and it remains to be seen whether Alexander-Arnold will make the cut, despite his heroics for Liverpool.
Earlier this week the England boss admitted that Kieran Trippier’s all-round was ahead of his rival vying for the same starting berth. “The other night [in Italy], we didn’t need the left-back cover, but against Germany we did because of the way we went with the team so we needed Chilly [Ben Chilwell] on the bench and we had Kieran who, at the moment, I feel his all-round game is ahead [of Trent]."
He added: “I didn’t want any player to sit in the stand for two matches, so I think the way we manage a group of people has been a big strength for us in the tournaments and we need to do that.”
