Trent Alexander-Arnold is the Premier League’s finest
By Riaz Ravat
Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold is the Young Player of the Year.
In just four years, Trent John Alexander-Arnold has undergone the most remarkable footballing journey and he’s helped add another accolade to the club’s fantastic year.
Our ’66 – how appropriate a shirt number for an English world club champion. He’s transformed his position and thrown out the rule book about what is expected of a right-back.
The Scouser in our team joined the academy as a six-year old in 2004, and despite being at the start of his career, his inspirational and pivotal role in ending the 30 year wait for a league title, and being part of the team that won the global Grand Slam, has elevated him into the Anfield Hall of Fame and earned him a mural on Sybil Road.
Trent is the mild-mannered, hometown boy Liverpool fans have craved for since Steven Gerrard, who earmarked him for greatness in his autobiography.
In a bygone era, successful footballing partnerships have centred on strike partnerships – Keegan & Toshack, Rush & Dalglish with the occasional centre-halve pairing in the mix – Hansen & Lawrenson. But this is football in the 21st century. This is the time of Trent and Robertson, two full backs who have created more from a defensive position than established midfielders.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has been part of the meanest defence for the second season in a row and a team which is allergic to defeats. His 13 assists are second only to the brilliance of Kevin De Bruyne. The only other defender in the top 10 is……. Andy Robertson.
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His assists and brilliance at set pieces is well documented yet despite his role in this fortified Liverpool defence, he is only 21-years-old and has plenty of scope for further improvement.
Winning aerial duels and using his body in a shielding position when isolated in one on one positions against the likes of Wilfred Zaha are two such areas and it’s noticeable that Trent doesn’t receive the same defensive coverage with Mo Salah that Robertson does with Sadio Mané.
In a season of multiple highs, Alexander-Arnold’s performances against Leicester City at the King Power stadium and the post-lockdown home victory against Crystal Palace – which proved to be the title securing three points, particularly stand out.
With the threat of jet lag following their triumphant trip back to the UK from Qatar, a super charged Alexander-Arnold inspired Liverpool to a ‘we were there’ 0-4 away success. The pre-match pyrotechnics on display at the King Power that night should have been reserved for a post-match parade led by the indomitable man of the match from West Derby.
The title of Premier League Young Player of the Season is well deserved but Alexander-Arnold is also a cut above the rest globally.
It may be so that one of Nottingham’s universities carries Trent Alexander-Arnold’s first name in its title but it is Liverpool’s ’66 who has achieved first class honours this season. Here’s to many more years of success.
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Riaz Ravat is a member of Liverpool FC’s Equality & Diversity Fan Forum. He writes in a personal capacity.