Liverpool: Trent Alexander-Arnold joins Jurgen Klopp in hitting out at Premier League schedule

Trent Alexander-Arnold has echoed the sentiments of Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp in hitting out at the Premier League schedule as the stricken defender insisted that the players’ welfare has to be considered.

The Premier League champions have been rocked by a number of injuries this season, with Alexander-Arnold joining Virgil van Dijk, Jordan Henderson and Joe Gomez in being unavailable to Klopp.

Liverpool’s lengthy injury list has given rise to Klopp slamming the football authorities and broadcasters in setting a fixture schedule that does not allow for, in his view, enough time for recovery.

The Red have been hit by a series of injuries, calling into question the busy fixture schedule

And the 22-year-old full back has supported the criticism made by his boss, insisting that the players’ bodies are not fine-tuned to handle the level of physical exertion that the current schedule puts them through. 

‘We get paid to play football, so we can’t complain about having to play games,’ the defender told The Mirror. ‘But we have to give a thought to our bodies. It’s not right to put a human body through so much intensity.

‘You look at marathon runners, people who do triathlons and cyclists on the Tour de France. They train for so long to compete in such quick succession. 

Alexander-Arnold has been sidelined with a calf injury while Jordan Henderson is also out

And the defender said that not enough thought goes into the welfare of players’ bodies

‘You have to train for those sort of distances – and our bodies aren’t trained to do that. We have 90 minute hits, we have to recover from that.

‘But when you’re asked to do that so quickly, it’s not fair and the human body cannot cope with that.’

Alexander-Arnold’s remarks come after Klopp took another swipe at broadcasters this week, labelling it a ‘crime’ that his side have to face Brighton today at 12:30 after facing Atalanta in the Champions League on Wednesday. 

‘I’m afraid to say but I think it (running out of steam) could happen not only to us but to other teams as well.

‘You (BT Sport) my special friends ask us to go on Saturday at 12.30pm, which is nearly a crime to be honest. It has nothing to do with the game tonight but congratulations for that.’

The 22-year-old said footballers are not fine tuned for long spells of endurance like cyclists

This followed his criticism of Sky after Liverpool’s victory over Leicester on Sunday.

In his post-match interview with Sky Sports’ Geoff Shreeves, Klopp accused the broadcasters of not caring about player welfare and urged them to find a solution to the tight schedule.

Klopp said: ‘It was never about us when I spoke about it. It’s about all the players, England players, players who play next summer in the European Championships.

‘But if you (Sky) don’t start talking to BT then we’re all done. Sky and BT have to talk because if we keep playing on Wednesday and then Saturday (at) 12:30, I’m not sure if we will finish the season with 11 players – all the top seven.

‘But I know you (the broadcasters) don’t care and that’s the problem.’

Alexander-Arnold’s comments back the thoughts of Reds boss Klopp who has been critical

Liverpool have suffered a number of injuries this season with Naby Keita the latest player to pick up a knock last weekend. 

Klopp is one of the managers advocating the reintroduction of five substitutes, which has been implemented in the lower divisions of English football and the top flights of other European leagues.

However, Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho told Klopp there is no solution other than to adapt to the demands of the Premier League.

‘Klopp arrived by 2015,’ said Mourinho. ‘I arrived in 2004 so what he knows from 2015, I know since 2004. And nothing changes. We have to adapt to it and that’s the way it is.’