Pep Guardiola had high praise for Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of Manchester City vs Liverpool this Sunday. He sees the Scouser as a threat.
Pep Guardiola gave his thoughts on Liverpool earlier today, ahead of Sunday’s big clash. The two heavyweights will meet at the Etihad Stadium and the winner leaves as the favourite for the Premier League title.
It doesn’t get much bigger than this and certainly won’t in the league this season. Really, a Champions League final is the only way either side sees a bigger match.
So what kind of game will it be? Jurgen Klopp explained in his Friday press conference that it’ll be an attacking one – an ‘interesting watch’, as he puts it. You can expect Liverpool to go for the win, then.
And Pep Guardiola sees things similarly. He explained the obvious threats in the Liverpool team, describing one player as ‘an exhibition’.
Pep Guardiola on Liverpool
“We know we are going to defend parts and sit back,” he told a press conference. “Not because we want but almost impossible for what they do. They make the pitch wider and higher, quality in the middle.
“Four, five years ago they were more direct, not too much between the lines. Now they have a good build up with Alisson, [Joel] Matip, Thiago drops. Threats in behind, [Trent] Alexander-Arnold is like an exhibition, deep runners in behind.
“Set pieces, every corner is a threat. The taker is good and the movement, of course.”
It’s high praise from Guardiola and we’d certainly agree with him. The way Alexander-Arnold passes the ball is like an exhibition – he can do things that remarkably few players can.
Finding those ‘threats in behind’ is certainly one of them. We saw a superb example against Benfica, in fact, as the Scouser picked out Luis Diaz to set up Sadio Mané.
The ease and consistency in which Alexander-Arnold plays certainly is like an exhibition. Hopefully, he puts it all on show at the Eithad this Sunday.
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