Liverpool full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez and Andy Robertson have been hailed by club great Phil Neal.
Neal, arguably the Reds’ greatest ever right-back, feels manager Jurgen Klopp is blessed to have such exciting talents at his disposal.
Alexander-Arnold has impressed massively this season, while summer signing Andrew Robertson has benefitted from Alberto Moreno’s injury. While Gomez too has done well, he is currently waiting for a call-up to the first-team after recovering from a knee injury.
The likes of Nathaniel Clyne and Moreno’s return from respective injuries mean Klopp now has a fully-fit squad to challenge for the Champions League and a top-four spot in the Premier League.
“I love both Trent and Robertson,” Neal told the Liverpool Echo.
“They are performing really well. Trent is a young man who is learning all the time and Robertson has really impressed me. Gomez is also having a fine season. He can play in a couple of positions.
“I bumped into Gomez in a sponsors’ lounge the other week and I said to him you can achieve just as much as me if not more. I’ll say that to the other kids, Robertson and Alexander-Arnold.
“I would say to them I love you to bits because I can see a Phil Neal in all of you.”
Neal, who earned a cult status at Anfield and nickname ‘Zico’, is thrilled about his former club’s hopes of securing more trophies and is a big fan of our gaffer Klopp. But the 67-year-old, who was speaking at Anfield at the launch of ‘Forever Reds’ wants Klopp to not think much forward and “take each game at a time.”
“I am experienced enough that when it comes to this time of the year please take each game at a time,” he added.
“Maybe the spoils will come to Liverpool like it did in my day. I don’t want to tell anyone their business but I am excited for the future with Klopp at the helm.
“I know I could play for him now, I’d run my socks off for that man because of his attitude, his love of the game and his drive.
“I am Liverpool’s most decorated player and I know what I gave to Bob Paisley, I know what I gave to the team. I worshipped Ian Callaghan because he was a leader and he taught me to be really committed for 60-odd games a year and I did that. He gave me a certain part of an apprenticeship because I sat next to him.
“You don’t ease up, you try to win every game, but you have to take one at a time. Keep going boys because you are doing excellent with decent people around you. That’s what was in the mix for me to win all those trophies over the 11 fantastic years I had.
“A certain Scottish friend who I played with, Alan Hansen, once said you don’t win anything with kids so let’s prove him wrong.”
Looks like Neal is a big fan of Klopp and who wouldn’t be? Despite some setbacks earlier in the season, we have managed to hold ourselves together and boy isn’t it now a joy to watch our team score goals for fun!
