Andy Robertson gives 'scary' prediction on Trent Alexander-Arnold's new midfield role
Andy Robertson has backed Liverpool teammate to succeed as a midfielder after being played in the role by England manager Gareth Southgate during the international break.
Andy Robertson has backed Liverpool teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold to succeed as a midfielder for England.
The 24-year-old put in starring performances during the international break with England, bagging a goal and assist from a new central midfield role in wins over North Macedonia and Malta. Alexander-Arnold earned 8/10 and 9/10 ratings from 90min for his stunning showings.
Speaking about his club teammate's performance, Scotland captain Robertson told Sky Sports that he fully expects Alexander-Arnold to become an even better player by playing as a midfielder.
"Trent is Trent, and that is the biggest compliment I can pay him," Robertson began. "He adapts to anything you ask of him. He is still relatively young, but has a wise head on his shoulders. He has that aggression and will to succeed, and I think you've seen that.
"Going away with England has been tough for him over the years, he's probably not played as much as he wants, but maybe they have found a position for him. Now that he can play there and learn, the scary thing is he will improve in that position as well. That's the England point of view, but we are more worried about the Liverpool point of view and will see what happens there of what position he takes up."
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Alexander-Arnold himself admitted a move to midfield could be the key to more opportunities with England, having historically struggled to convince manager Gareth Southgate in his usual right-back position.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has long urged fans to see Alexander-Arnold's role as one between a right-back and a midfielder, but a tactical shift towards the end of last season made that hybrid role more apparent.
Still named as a right-back on the team sheet, Alexander-Arnold would drift inside and occupy deeper positions in midfield, and it was from those positions that he bagged seven assists and a goal in his final ten Premier League games of the campaign.
Southgate then used Alexander-Arnold as an out-and-out midfielder but Klopp, who has already seen Alexis Mac Allister arrive to bolster Liverpool's midfield, is expected to reject the chance to follow suit.
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