Trent Alexander-Arnold has admitted that the build-up to Liverpool’s game against Manchester City led to some nerves amongst the squad.
Trent was speaking to beIN SPORTS after the game. Asked to explain Liverpool’s slow start to at the Etihad, the right-back claimed that the hype surrounding the fixture had affected the Liverpool players.
“(There was a) little bit of nerves in there to be honest. It was bound to be, it’s a huge game, it’s been really pumped up all week,” said Alexander-Arnold.
“Hearing it’s one of the biggest games in Premier League history, the biggest rivalry, things like that, it’s always going to put things into your head and you know how many people are watching this game.”
Being a game with potentially huge ramifications in the title race, yesterday’s match-up was indeed hotly anticipated. With so much riding on the outcome, Trent thinks that Liverpool struggled throughout the first-half.
“I think after that, we settled down, scored our goal with the equaliser. But the first half in general we weren’t ourselves, we didn’t play the football we wanted to,” he said.
It was a tough watch at times for Liverpool fans during the opening 45 minutes. Coming out for the second-half it felt inevitable that the onslaught would continue. But Sadio Mane’s early goal settled The Reds down and they were able to take home a well earnt point.
They’re only human after all
Liverpool are now a squad packed full of winners with incredibly mentality. They’re only human though, and such was the expectancy around the game, there was always going to be some nerves.
Playing against a side with as much firepower as City have is bound to be difficult whatever the circumstances. As a result of the position Liverpool find themselves in at this stage of the season, the game was even bigger than usual.
Jurgen Klopp’s team couldn’t handle the intensity of City early on. After such a sloppy start, it’s highly commendable that The Reds managed to find their way back into the tie.
Lessons will have been learned all around. Klopp has to make sure that his players re-focus and go again for another big week ahead.
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