Trent Alexander-Arnold’s defensive lapses are repeatedly held up as a stick to beat the 24-year-old with. Labelled a “liability” by Gary Neville among others, the right-back’s qualities have never been in question at the other end of the putch.
So, why not just convert him into a midfielder? Less defending means fewer costly mistakes while allowing him to concentrate on the attributes that saw him burst onto the scene as a teenager.
It is something that is clearly on Jurgen Klopp’s mind, with the German deploying Alexander-Arnold as an inverted full-back in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal. Often pushing inside alongside Fabinho as a second deep-lying midfielder, he had licence to advance much further forward - and it was his nutmeg of Oleksandr Zinchenko and subsequent delivery that set up Roberto Firmino for the Reds’ 87th-minute equaliser.
