Trent Alexander-Arnold has been praised for his coming-of-age performance during Liverpool’s victory over Manchester City.
Jurgen Klopp’s men have one foot in the Champions League semi finals after a resounding 3-0 win at Anfield against their Premier League rivals, with an impressive rearguard action ensuring City left without an away goal.
Key to their success at the back was the performance of Alexander-Arnold at right back, who was targeted early on by Pep Guardiola’s side.
They tried to get in-form Leroy Sane one-on-one with the teenager as often as possible, but the German enjoyed little success against the determined youngster.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was praised for his performance in Liverpool’s victory over Man City
The academy product had made high profile mistakes in his recent outings for the Reds, but he put those behind him to deliver an assured display on arguably the biggest night of his fledgling career.
BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand said before kick off that a strong performance from Alexander-Arnold and ‘the world’s his oyster’. Just 90 minutes later the very same man was heralding a career-defining display.
‘He went away, did his homework and the kid came good today, said Ferdinand.
‘Everything about him today; tenacious, he was disciplined, he concentrated. Bearing in mind he’s up against Sane, probably the most in-form winger in the league at the moment, he had him in his pocket.
‘He was fantastic in everything he did — even going forward on the ball — but defending wise, he didn’t give them a moments peace out there, did everything you could ask as a full back.
BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand said the 19-year-old had Leroy Sane ‘in his pocket’ during the tie
‘And 19-years old, in a game of this magnitude, Champions League, in front of millions to put in a performance like that bearing in mind the mistakes he’d made in previous games, fantastic. His mentality, huge.
Presenter Gary Lineker pointed out that England coach Gareth Southgate will have been watching, and former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard said the Three Lions boss will have been forced to sit up and take notice of the Liverpool right back.
He (Southgate) can be nothing but impressed,’ said Lampard.
‘How great to see a youth take on a challenge likes this. The mentality of the boy, to do that – with a little bit of pressure on him because of his recent performances.
Both Ferdinand and Frank Lampard waxed lyrical about the youngster after his fine display
Not just all that positional play, getting close to Sane, running with him being in the right position.
‘There was moment where he clenched his fists and he was pumped.
You know, (he’s) a 19-year-old and suddenly he’s becoming a man because when you perform like that on this occasion, as big as this, it makes you feel like that.’