View: 88% Trent Alexander-Arnold holds key to Liverpool title success under Arne Slot
Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold can be the key to success for Arne Slot in his first season in charge at Anfield.
The vice-captain endured an injury-riddled campaign last term that led to the emergence of Conor Bradley in the first-team picture.
Bradley rather impressively recorded the highest score in Slot’s new pre-season fitness test in a further show of what he is capable of.
However, while Alexander-Arnold has not been relied on heavily by Gareth Southgate at Euro 2024, there is no doubt he will keep his starting berth at Liverpool this coming season.
Arne Slot needs to hand the keys to Trent Alexander-Arnold next season
Trent developed into one of the most gifted technical footballers in the world under Jurgen Klopp.
He and Andy Robertson have redefined the full-back position and have been a main threat to the opposition for the past few years.
The 25-year-old in particular has been touted by fans, pundits and even Southgate to excel in midfield due to his ability on the ball.
Even Klopp toyed with the idea at times during the 2022/23 season, and whilst the stats will show that he is more than capable of operating in the midfield, there is no point fixing what isn’t broken.
His defensive output is scapegoated by the media when Liverpool concede a goal down his side, and it is true that he isn’t as defensively solid as a right-back is expected to be.
Last season, Trent was in the bottom nine percentile for duels won and the bottom three percentile for defenders dribbled past in the Premier League (FotMob).
Anyone who has watched Liverpool knows that he can defend at a capable level but needs support from his centre-backs as he can be caught too far up the pitch at times.
But that is exactly where you want Trent to be – as far up the pitch on the right-hand side the team can afford, influencing the attacking play.
Last season, he picked the ball up deep into his own half against Arsenal and found Salah with a pass to the edge of the opposition’s box leading to the equaliser.
Trent Alexander-Arnold can be Liverpool’s top creator again
He can find a pass from 50/60 yards and his ability to turn defence into attack has been vital to the Reds’ success over the years.
Only six players bettered his nine through balls in the league and they were all midfielders and forwards (Opta Analyst, 12 June).
Klopp instructed Trent to drop into midfield when in possession and the move helped the Reds climb the league table in 2022/23, but the experiment was rightfully brought to an end last term.
Back in his preferred position he registered 2.3 key passes and 5.3 long balls per 90 in the league as he looked back to his best self (WhoScored).
He accumulated 12,434 yards progressive passing distance and his 244 long passes were the most completed in the squad (Fbref).
Trent is one of, if not the, best creative outlet that Slot will have at his disposal and he always delivers in Liverpool red.
The decision to step up for England at Euro 2024 and take the winning penalty against Switzerland was no surprise.
Even in England’s opener against Serbia when withdrawn due to supposedly being a passenger, he still completed 88 per cent of his 42 passes (WhoScored).
Since his arrival into the Liverpool first team, he has registered five goals and 18 assists against the ‘Big 6’ sides in the league (Transfermarkt), including a vital equaliser against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in November.
His importance on this Liverpool side is not lost on anyone, particularly Klopp, who recognised him as a generational talent before his departure.
“I have nothing bad to say about Trent and his development,” Klopp told BBC Sport (23 April). “He is one of these stories that not a lot of clubs can write, but he is someone people will talk about in 20, 30 and 40 years.”
Further highlighting his ability, he was in the top 92.1 percentile for ball recoveries and 94.4 percentile for recoveries in the final third (FotMob) as he fights back against the critics.
During his most productive campaign in the 2019/20 title-winning season, his 45 interceptions was the highest amongst the Liverpool defence and he tackled 46.2 per cent of attackers, joint-top with Virgil van Dijk.
Trent produced his highest attacking output that year with four goals and 13 assists in the league.
He averaged 1.25 shots per 90 and 0.68 goal-creating actions per 90, the best amongst a side that won the title (FBref).
Despite his injury problems last season, he was still in a class of his own as he was in the top 92.1 percentile for successful passes, 95.5 percentile for successful crosses and 93.3 percentile for successful dribbles (FotMob).
Indeed, he was in the top 96.6 percentile for chances created and 100 percentile for successful long balls.
The numbers that Trent can produce at right-back is unlike anything seen before in world football. It is mind-blowing that a player of this quality is constantly overlooked for the national team.
But England’s loss is Liverpool’s gain, and Trent has all the potential to go even further for Slot next season.
In other Liverpool news, Darwin Nunez has a chance to revive his Liverpool career after his Copa America showings.
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