How Trent Alexander-Arnold is thriving in new Liverpool role
By Euan Burns
Trent Alexander-Arnold has long been a key and talented member of Liverpool's squad, but he has been sucked into his side's horrible season in 2022/23.
The Reds didn't go very far in the Champions League, the domestic cup competitions have not yielded any success, and the idea of a Premier League title challenge quickly dissipated.
Fans have been left constantly waiting for Jurgen Klopp's side to click back into life but a combination of injuries and some disillusionment has led to very inconsistent form, even if there have been some very memorable wins along the way.
In recent weeks, though, there has been something of an upturn in Liverpool's form which has led to renewed belief that they could still snatch a place in the top four, or at least secure automatic qualification for the Europa League without going through a qualifying round.
A factor in this has been a new role Alexander-Arnold is performing well in. It has brought the best out of not just him, but other players in the team.
When did Trent Alexander-Arnold change roles for Liverpool?
There have been many scapegoats for Liverpool's poor form this season. Alexander-Arnold has been one, having had his defensive frailties laid bare on multiple occasions without creating enough at the other end to compensate for it.
In a recent Premier League game against Arsenal, Klopp gave Alexander-Arnold a slightly different role. He got the right-back to start drifting into the centre of midfield when Liverpool had the ball so he could aid their build-up play more effectively.
There was a learning curve as Arsenal raced into a two-goal lead, but Alexander-Arnold created five chances during the game and assisted the late equaliser from Roberto Firmino.
How has Trent Alexander-Arnold performed in his new role?
In that Arsenal match, Alexander-Arnold notched his best pass completion rate of the season before their next game, a trip to Leeds. The Elland Road side are seriously flawed in many areas but have a huge amount to play for in their fight to avoid relegation.
Leeds' tendency to fall apart has to be taken into account here, but it was one of Liverpool's best performances of the season and showed how Alexander-Arnold's new role can bring back the massive victories the Reds have enjoyed over the past few years.
He created four chances in the game against Leeds, picking up two assists, and completed 124 passes which is more than in any single game of his career so far.
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How Trent Alexander-Arnold's new role has improved Liverpool's form
The good trend continued against Nottingham Forest as Alexander-Arnold assisted Mohamed Salah for the winning goal. Against West Ham United on Wednesday night, he assisted Cody Gakpo for the first goal in a 2-1 win.
Since changing roles, Alexander-Arnold has grabbed five assists from four games and Liverpool have picked up ten points from a possible 12. It is some of their best form of the season and has taken them up to sixth in the Premier League table.
Date | Scoreline | Alexander-Arnold Assists |
|---|---|---|
09/04/2023 | Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal | 1 |
17/04/2023 | Leeds United 1-6 Arsenal | 2 |
22/04/2023 | Liverpool 3-2 Nottingham Forest | 1 |
26/04/2023 | West Ham 1-2 Liverpool | 1 |
Should they win their game in hand over Aston Villa, Klopp's side would move up to fifth and find themselves in a Europa League spot. Any higher would be a serious ask given fourth placed Manchester United are currently six points up the road with two games in hand.
Even if they don't reach the Champions League, Klopp will feel he has something tangible to work with if Liverpool finish the season in the sort of form they are currently showing, and it is largely down to how Alexander-Arnold has taken up his new central role and the effect it has had on everyone else in the team.