Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has lauded Trent Alexander-Arnold, claiming that the youngster will keep getting “better and better”. The 19-year-old made his first-team debut under Jurgen Klopp last season and has gone onto establish himself as a regular in the senior setup.
The young right-back has made 17 appearances in all competitions, scoring 3 goals and assisting one, continuing to rotate with Joe Gomez this season.
Gerrard insisted he was “very pleased but not surprised,” to see Alexander-Arnold’s meteoric rise from a promising youth player into a vital cog in Klopp’s Liverpool machine.
“[I’m] very pleased but not surprised,” Gerrard told Liverpoolfc.com.
“I worked with Trent when he was a kid before he progressed into the first team and it’s no shock or surprise to me that he’s finding his consistency.
“I thought he was excellent at the weekend; for a kid so young to actually see and then to execute the passes that he’s playing in the final third, that shows his confidence, it shows the confidence that the manager has got in him.
“What you’ve got to remember is, Trent’s body is going to change. He’s going to get fitter, he’s going to get stronger, he’s going to get more experienced. He’s going to get better and better, which is a very exciting thought for all Liverpool fans.”
The injury to first-choice right-back Nathaniel Clyne has seen Gomez switch from centre-back to right-back and settle into the role as well, with Alexander-Arnold impressing whenever given a chance. The young gun was an energetic presence on the right in the 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, providing dangerous crosses that kept the Spurs defenders on their feet for the entire 90 minutes.
While Gerrard, who is currently manager of Liverpool’s U18 side isn’t the only one impressed with Alexander-Arnold’s development at Liverpool, the legendary Jamie Carragher also heaped praise on the right-back during Liverpool’s stalemate with Spurs at Anfield.
“Listen, this lad, I’ve said before, is going to be a future England full-back. He looks the part, he goes forward, you can see the quality that he possesses. He almost created two Liverpool goals,” Carragher was quoted by Express.
It is fantastic to see an academy kid making the chances count to become a regular in the first-team. I just wish Alexander-Arnold continues his development in this very manner and goes on to become a future regular right-back for our club and England.