Data suggests Trent Alexander-Arnold is hitting unthinkable levels

Add as preferred source on Google

Trent Alexander-Arnold is hitting levels we didn’t think were possible this season, according to his data. The Liverpool full-back is in unbelievable form.

It’s not exactly a secret that Trent Alexander-Arnold is something special. He’s a 23-year-old with Premier League and Champions League medals, Team of the Year nods from FIFA, UEFA and the PFA, and a record-holder for creativity as a defender.

In 2019, Alexander-Arnold broke the Premier League record for assists from a defender. In 2020, he did it again.

So you expect a certain level from the Scouser. He’s a sensational talent and one of the most creative players in the world.

And yet, we’re seeing him reach new levels this season. According to his data, Alexander-Arnold is embarking on by far his best season yet.

Data suggests Alexander-Arnold is at another level

Alexander-Arnold had 12 assists in the Premier League in 2019, with 13 coming the following year. Incredibly impressive numbers that we literally hadn’t seen before.

He already has six this season, though, one behind Mohamed Salah and Paul Pogba. He’s on course to break his own record once again, then.

But it’s the underlying numbers that really hammer this home. He’s currently averaging 0.5 expected assists (xA) per 90 minutes, for instance.

That is over double his average from 2019 (0.23) and nearly twice that of the following year (0.28). At his current rate, he’ll absolutely smash his record to pieces.

And in a Premier League context, his current number is ridiculous. Reece James is having a brilliant season with Chelsea, averaging 0.37 xA per 90. That’s good enough for third in the league, level with teammate Mason Mount and 0.02 ahead of Jack Grealish.

Then there’s a jump to second – Mohamed Salah at 0.41 xA per 90. That jump of 0.04 is bigger than any other jump below it for the rest of the league. Salah is playing that well.

So the fact that the jump from him to Alexander-Arnold is 0.09 is a complete standout. Salah would essentially need to create three or four extra golden opportunities every 10 games just to keep up, given how xA is rated. And the Egyptian is already head and shoulders above the rest in doing that.

Everything Alexander-Arnold is doing right now is simply fantastic. He’s averaging highs in xA, number of chances created, passes into the final third – and all on top of boasting the best pressing numbers of his career.

We could be watching the start of an all-time season here. The Premier League record for assists in a season is 20 (Thierry Henry 02/03 & Kevin De Bruyne 19/20). With a bit of luck, it won’t stand for long.

All stats per FBref.