Trent Alexander-Arnold did something ‘right-backs don’t do’ vs Aston Villa, according to Steve McManaman. The Liverpool star is special.
Liverpool took an early 1-0 lead against Aston Villa tonight – and it was largely thanks to Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Scouser created the move as he picked the up the ball following a corner.
Villa had done well to clear it, in truth, and appeared to leave Alexander-Arnold with nothing. He somehow found Andy Robertson in space behind the Villa defence – and made the pass with the outside of his foot.
It was magic and Robertson’s pass across goal for Mohamed Salah wasn’t bad either. Understandably, Steve McManaman raved about Alexander-Arnold’s pass -and the goal – for Amazon at half-time.
“Right-backs don’t do things like this with a football,” said McManaman. “Right-backs clear their lines, right-back give the ball to the players who, offensively, are very good.
“Not Trent Alexander-Arnold. The fact he had to dig it out – it comes to him quite quickly. Aston Villa deal with it and clear their lines, fine, but his vision and the ability to put this one a plate for Andy Robertson…
“It’s a wonderful, sublime, whatever you want to say, goal by Liverpool.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold vs Aston Villa
It was a moment of magic – and we haven’t had too many of those from Alexander-Arnold this season. He’s been uncharacteristically quiet with his creativity and hasn’t actually had an assist in the Premier League this season.
This was as good as one, to say the least. Few players on the planet could produce a moment like that but Liverpool’s right-back is one of them. As McManaman points out, that’s not something teams can usually say. Right-backs aren’t known for their elite passing.
Alexander-Arnold has been changing the rules on that for years, though. This was sensational and with any luck, a sign that he’s getting back to his best.
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