‘Trent Alexander-Arnold is a League One defender!’
Robin Bairner
- 10 Oct 2022 12:23 BST
- 3 min read
Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has been branded a League One standard defender as the Reds’ miserable start to the season continues.
The Anfield club were defeated 3-2 against Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday, leaving them 10th in the standings with just two wins from eight matches.
Alexander-Arnold’s poor form has been cited as one of the reasons, for Liverpool’s struggles and the right-back did himself few favours in the Gunners defeat. He was caught on Gabriel Martinelli’s opening goal and then drawn out of position with apparent ease as Bukayo Saka made it 2-1.
Subsequently, he was withdrawn at half-time because of injury and left the Emirates on crutches with manager Jurgen Klopp stating that “it doesn’t look” good for him.
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Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara has given a scathing assessment of Alexander-Arnold’s defensive qualities, suggesting they are more suited to League One.
Speaking to Talksport, he said: “Teams know they can go and get at Trent and they will aim for him every time they get the ball. The first thing the manger will be saying to you is: ‘Get the ball out left. Leave them one on one, get one on one with Trent.’
“He’s a League One defender but he’s Champions League going forward. Klopp knows that and loves his attacking ability but defensively he’s all over the place. The second goal, where’s he going?”
More broadly, O’Hara feels that Virgil van Dijk’s poor recent form has been Liverpool’s undoing.
“They are an absolute shambles at the back. It’s Mickey Mouse stuff,” he said.
“They relied so much on Van Dijk being at the top of his powers, they all just got away with it. Now he’s fell away because of the injury or he’s lost a bit of belief, it’s scrutinised the rest of them and they’ve lost that belief.”
Liverpool, meanwhile, find themselves 10th in the Premier League standings, 14 points off leaders Arsenal, albeit with a game in hand.
