Joe Cole blown away by what ‘outstanding’ Liverpool player did against West Ham tonight

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Joe Cole has labelled Trent Alexander-Arnold’s assist for Liverpool against West Ham United tonight as ‘outstanding.’

Trent grabbed his fifth assist in the last four games, teeing up Cody Gakpo for the equaliser on the night. It wasn’t the 24-year-old’s most eye-catching of passes, but it was a nice, incise one all the same.

Cole was certainly impressed. Commenting on the goal, and Alexander-Arnold’s display in general for BT Sport, the former Liverpool man had high praise for our No.66.

“What he does is he gives you options. He comes into the midfield, creates an overload, he can’t be picked up. He drops in deep, turns, lovely round the corner, he starts the attacks and he builds up. Look at the forwards, they’re making runs because they know he’s got the ability to find them. He was outstanding there,” said the pundit.

“It’s just outstanding ability to take that pass It looks simple, that is an outstanding pass,” Cole said of the assist. “We have to stop talking about what he can’t do Trent, we need to talk about what he can do. He’s an outstanding footballer, he needs to be playing regularly for Liverpool and regularly for England. When he’s got the ball and he’s looking around. Trust me, as a forward, you want Trent in the team.”

Trent turns up the heat once again

Trent was absolutely brilliant tonight, no two ways about that. In the four games he’s now played in his new hybrid role, this evening at West Ham was arguably his highest quality display yet.

Yet another assist on the board, and after a pretty lean season in that respect up to this point, the Scouser is making up for lost time.

But it wasn’t just his assist, nor even just his passing, it was Trent’s all-round play that was so pleasing. Defensively he looks re-energised and re-focused. Out of possession he’s switched on and attentive to what’s going on around him.

That might sound like basics at the top-level of the game, and in some ways they are. But they also haven’t always been apparent when watching Alexander-Arnold for Liverpool this season.

Not anymore, it seems. This little tweak in his position has unleashed the player we’ve been watching since his breakthrough five years ago.

Fingers crossed it can continue for the rest of the season and into the next one. Quite what it means for Liverpool’s midfield rebuild, it’s hard to say. But for now, let’s just sit back and enjoy a master at work once again.