OPINION
It all could have gone very wrong for Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.
Having just watched Manchester City get past Crystal Palace with relative ease at Selhurst Park, they faced their toughest test of their run in with a clash against Chelsea.
The Blues are a temperamental outfit, and for all the Reds went in to the game as favourites, with the pressure of a title challenge and with the ever-present threat of Eden Hazard to contend with, there was always the possibility of the wheels coming well and truly off their bid for the crown.
Hazard was, too many, the main concern, and that mean that Trent Alexander-Arnold was the subject of heavy scrutiny before the match.
In particular, Tony Cascarino expressed his belief that the young England international could be caught out because of the flaws in his defensive abilities.
Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: “Alexander-Arnold, if he does have weakness in his game, it’s his defensive ability.
“Going forward, he’s a fantastic crosser of the ball, he’s always an option out wide, but you can get on the back of him. When Eden Hazard gets in tight positions and he can take people on, he can make professional footballers look silly.”
"Alexander-Arnold, if he has got a weakness in his game, it's his defending ability."
"Eden Hazard can make professional footballers look silly."
@TonyCascarino62 think Eden Hazard will play a big part this afternoon ? pic.twitter.com/C1ip1KsnIM
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) April 14, 2019
Thankfully for the Reds, however, Alexander-Arnold proved him very, very wrong.
Admittedly, Hazard started through the centre in a false nine role, taking a lot of the emphasis off of the 20-year-old, but he still thrived.
Instead, he was tasked with dealing with Willian, and while the Brazilian may be a hit and miss figure for the Blues, he still a player capable of causing significant damage on his day.
Alexander-Arnold kept him pretty much silent all afternoon, however, and even managed to put in his fair share of work at the other end of the field as well, putting in some typically devilish deliveries.
Cascarino is entitled to his opinion, but he will surely be eating his words tonight.
