Trent Alexander Arnold proved himself as a potential midfield star for Liverpool with an outstanding performance against Leeds United.
Liverpool went to Elland Road on Monday night, determined to end their five-game winless run.
After a tentative start, Jurgen Klopp’s men stepped up their game and scored two first-half goals, courtesy of Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah.
Although Luis Sinisterra reduced the deficit to 2-1 in the second half, Liverpool went on to win 6-1, with Salah, Diogo Jota, and Darwin Nunez all finding the back of the net.
Alexander Arnold continued to shine, putting in a standout performance in his new, more advanced midfield role, despite good performances from the rest of the team.
The 24-year-old displayed his passing ability with ease, leaving Leeds unable to contain the England international.
Alexander Arnold played a key role in two of Liverpool’s six goals, providing a beautiful assist for Gakpo’s opener and playing a scintillating pass to set up Nunez’s goal, which made it 6-1.
Trent Alexander-Arnold vs Leeds:
• 124/135 (92%) passes (2nd)
• 2 assists (1st)
• 151 touches (1st)
• 3/4 tackles (3rd)
• 2 clearances
• 1 interceptionMasterclass. 🪄 pic.twitter.com/R2jcyWWOy8
— Anfield Edition (@AnfieldEdition) April 17, 2023
Alexander Arnold had the most touches during the game, with a total of 151 touches throughout the 90 minutes. Additionally, he successfully completed 92% of his attempted passes.
Although Alexander Arnold’s defensive skills have been scrutinized throughout the season, he put in a solid performance against Leeds. He won three out of four tackles and made one interception during the match.
You can watch his highlights below.
Sensational.
Sky Sports pundit, Jamie Carragher, summed up Alexander-Arnold’s role perfectly.
Alexander Arnold’s performance resulted in plaudits from both fans and former players.
Ex-England striker Gary Lineker said: “Said it for years: I’d love to see @TrentAA play in midfield regularly. It’s the position he grew up playing. Play to your strengths.”
One fan said: “Trent Alexander-Arnold in that midfield is a thing of beauty. He’s cooking. RB shadowed his potentials.”
Another tweeted: “I have seen the light, Trent Alexander Arnold belongs in the midfield.”
Klopp praised Alexander Arnold, saying, “I think the exceptional pass for Darwin’s goal was made by him. He can play both ways, but we need to improve our defense as well because we’re conceding too many counter-attacks.”
Klopp further commented on Alexander Arnold’s performance, stating, “He played really well, but our reaction when we lost the ball was not good enough. As a team, we need to be able to protect ourselves, and the formation we played suits us better in that regard.”
Liverpool is set to face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League this coming weekend.