Jamie Carragher has theorised that Pep Guardiola could have been the inspiration behind Jurgen Klopp converting Trent Alexander-Arnold into his new role.
Writing for the Telegraph, the pundit suggested that the Manchester City coach and his innovation of the fullback role has impacted the way Alexander-Arnold now plays, with the England international operating in an inverted role in the last four Liverpool matches.
The 24-year-old was again impressive for the Reds this week as Liverpool made it three wins on the spin with a 2-1 triumph in east London against West Ham, with Alexander-Arnold again playing a central role in his new hybrid fullback position.
And for Carragher, Guardiola could be the main inspiration behind this change, with the former Liverpool star saying: “Four years ago, Guardiola developed his vision for a hybrid full-back, encouraging clever moves into midfield to create an extra midfielder and dominate possession.
“That strategy was the foundation of Arsenal’s title bid thanks to Oleksandr Zinchenko, and looks like it will inspire Jurgen Klopp’s efforts to revive Liverpool with his tweaking of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s role.”
Guardiola has absolutely influenced Klopp in new Alexander-Arnold role
Guardiola’s innovation of the fullback position is just the latest tactical tweak the City manager has left his imprint on in the footballing world, and for Klopp, the Liverpool boss should be thankful for the blueprint his Manchester counterpart has constructed when it comes to Alexander-Arnold.
The England international has always been tipped to play a central role given his incredible passing abilities, and Klopp’s recent deployment of Alexander-Arnold as an inverted fullback has pulled off in a major way, with the defender rediscovering his spark after months of poor performances.
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