Rio Ferdinand compares Liverpool ace Trent Alexander-Arnold to Manchester City superstar Kevin de Bruyne
Speaking ahead of the Liverpool – Inter clash, as quoted by Daily Mail former England international Rio Ferdinand has compared Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold to Manchester City playmaker Kevin de Bruyne.
The Reds defender has 11 assists and two goals in 33 appearances across all competitions this season and Ferdinand praised his ability to generate opportunities and score goals from right-back.
Liverpool have made excellent use of their full-backs at both ends of the pitch and Trent has thrived in the setup. In many ways, it can be argued that the Reds have a playmaker operating as a wing-back.
Ferdinand noticed a change in role for Trent this season which has seen him take up central positions and create more from midfield, likening it to the role De Bruyne occupies at City.
“Look where he’s starting. “
“That’s like Kevin De Bruyne territory in that position, almost like a false 10, 8 position.”
However, he added that it’s just not the positioning that matters but it is the right-back’s unbelievable execution that helps him get as many assists as he does. A clean striker of the ball, the 23-year-old is known for making eerily accurate passes that cuts apart defences.
“‘You don’t get assists just from being in the right positions, you’ve got to be able to execute.”
Though Liverpool lost to Inter Milan at Anfield, they managed to progress to the next round courtesy their two goal lead from the Giuseppe Meazza. Trent for his part impressed on the night.
The English international’s new positioning allows him to get closer to the box and this was evident in Sadio Mane’s goal against West Ham United. The 23-year-old drove into the opposition box and drilled a ball across the face of the goal only for the Senegalese superstar to score what would be the winner.
Jurgen Klopp will be hoping that his right-back can continue producing on a consistent basis and continue his excellent output, and Alexander-Arnold is often pivotal to all the good things that the Reds do.
A truly sensational season?
Despite having what can be called a mediocre season by his loft standards last year, and missing out on the Euros due to an injury, Trent has not allowed it to affect him and has bounced back in unbelievable fashion this season.
The right-back is back to his scintillating best this season and is showing the kind of levels that made the whole world take notice of him when he was first breaking into the Premier League scenes, almost redefining the right-back role in football.
Now, with his new positioning, Alexander-Arnold’s already terrifying potential has only increased manifolds and at just 23, he still has his whole career ahead of him. If the English starlet continues creating goals at the same rate as he is doing now, there is no limit to what he can achieve by the end of his career.
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There was always an opinion that Trent had a midfielder in him and there have even been calls in the past to play him in that position. This season, Jurgen Klopp has essentially found a way to play Alexander-Arnold as a midfielder, without removing him from his right-back role and the rewards are there for everyone to see.
