Arne Slot says Liverpool have a player who’s able to play two different positions ‘really well’

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Arne Slot has some decisions to make ahead of Liverpool’s first game of the Premier League season.

The Reds are back in action on Saturday lunchtime as they face newly promoted Ipswich Town.

It’s set to be a big day for Ipswich who are back in the top division after 22 years away. Liverpool are going to have to be on it right from the start.

Who Slot picks in his starting XI will give supporters some kind of idea about how he sees various members of the Liverpool squad.

And ahead of the game, the Reds head coach has hailed the versatility and quality of one player who’s likely to start against Ipswich.

Arne Slot hails Trent Alexander-Arnold quality

We can take some clues from Sunday’s win over Sevilla to predict who Slot will pick to face the Tractor boys.

It was interesting that the Dutchman still started a number of players who up to that point had had no pre-season whatsoever.

One of those was Trent Alexander-Arnold, who played 74 minutes of the 4-1 win, registering a clever assist for Diogo Jota’s sumptuous volley.

Trent is fresh from a slightly disappointing European Championship with England, during which he was tried in midfield before being bombed out of the side.

Despite that, there has still been a feeling that Slot could try Alexander-Arnold as a midfielder. Asked whether that would be the case during his pre-match press conference, the boss was not giving much away, but did praise the academy graduate.

READ MORE: Trent Alexander-Arnold has made a decision about his contract negotiations with Liverpool

“I think a position for a player is always related to the team. It’s my aim to bring the best out of the player but my first aim is to bring the best out of the team,” he said.

“Trent is known for playing as a right full-back for all his life, I think. When he was a youngster he played in midfield and in the modern game you see a lot of full-backs going into the midfield.

“That is what he did last season once in a while and I saw him playing at the Euros in midfield.

“So, I think he’s capable of playing both positions really good and then it’s up to me where I think he could help the team the most.”

Where will Alexander-Arnold play on Saturday?

We believed that Liverpool’s pursuit of Martin Zubimendi to play in the number six role suggested that Slot sees Alexander-Arnold as a full-back.

Otherwise, why would he see the need to try and sign another midfielder? Trent would be there to do the job with Conor Bradley stepping in at right-back.

With Zubimendi turning Liverpool down, there is now the possibility that Slot gambles and tries to teach the Scouser to play there permanently.

However, we think it’s much more likely that Slot simply sees Alexander-Arnold as what Jurgen Klopp did: a right-back.

The former Feyenoord is clearly happy with what he’s seen from Trent in his regular position so far, so that’s where we’d expect to see him on Saturday.