OPINION
Trent Alexander-Arnold is a top-class player and Liverpool are very lucky to have him in their side – but what happens when his form drops?
The 20-year-old right-back was disappointing in the Reds’ 2-1 win against Southampton at St Mary’s on Saturday and is yet to really show the exciting form that he displayed last season in the opening few games of the new campaign.
According to stats by WhoScored, Alexander-Arnold failed to complete any tackles or interceptions against the Saints, who definitely looked as though they could threaten Liverpool’s backline at certain points in the game.
The England international also failed to complete any dribbles, only completed one cross and had a pass success rate of just 62.5 per cent.
It was by no means a display that Liverpool fans are used to seeing from Alexander-Arnold, who averaged two crosses per match throughout the entire Premier League season in 2018/19, while also completing 77.5 per cent of his passes.
Alexander-Arnold’s form is not at the point where it is worrying, but it is at a point where you look around and think ‘ok, what happens if this does not improve in the coming weeks?’.
Joe Gomez played at right-back in the Super Cup final win against Chelsea last week but it would be fair to say that he struggled as some Liverpool fans on Twitter tore him to shreds for his efforts in Istanbul.
Nathaniel Clyne is also still at Anfield but the injury-prone right-back, who played just four times in the Premier League last season for the Reds before being sent on loan to Bournemouth in January, does not appear to be in the first-team picture right now with zero matchday appearances in the new campaign.
Jurgen Klopp did not want to add to his first-team squad in the summer and while you can understand why he felt as though he didn’t need to, these performances by Alexander-Arnold could be a sign of an issue that is on the horizon.
Players like him, who are always going to be first on the team sheet, need to have someone behind them who is pushing for a spot in the side – they need competition.
Alexander-Arnold has no good competition for his spot but hopefully he can prove in the coming weeks that this is just a minor blip and he can up his game when it matters.
