Liverpool vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold could play in midfield against Brentford says Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen Klopp says we could see Liverpool vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold play a complete midfield role this Sunday against Thomas Frank’s Brentford.
As Liverpool gear up to face Brentford on Sunday, the potential shift of Alexander-Arnold from his familiar right-back position to midfield is something we could watch out for. Klopp, in a recent press conference, hinted at the prospect of deploying the vice-captain in a more central role.
When asked about the possibility of Alexander-Arnold playing in midfield, the manager said we could see our vice-captain in the middle of the park.
Speaking to the press ahead of the game against the Bees, here is what Klopp had to say about Trent playing in midfield instead of inverting (via liverpoolfc.com):
“Yeah, a possibility [to play in midfield], it depends on the situation, the opponent, on a lot of things. We know that he can play there.”
“For us, if we just put him there then we lose one of the best right-backs in the world, so we should not forget that completely at least. Of course he is an option for that position.”
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However, Klopp also emphasised the importance of not overlooking the fact that Alexander-Arnold is one of the best right-backs in the world. While the prospect of seeing him in midfield is exciting, it also raises the question of whether it’s worth sacrificing his impact on the right flank.
In the inverted full-back role, he often operates as a playmaker, drifting into central areas to create overloads and deliver incisive passes. This approach has been instrumental in Liverpool’s attacking style and has helped unlock opposing defences. The decision to play him in midfield would mean altering this dynamic.
But as we saw against Luton Town and even Toulouse in the second half, it does not work best against teams that play a low block where it might be useful if you stretch the field and take the game wide instead of narrowing space down.
While fans eagerly await to see whether the vice-captain will feature in midfield against Brentford, it’s important to trust Klopp’s judgment. Not like he has never gotten it wrong, but until we have a full-time defensive midfielder, we can use a flat-out 4-3-3, or two central midfielders with one operating as the #10.
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So, whether you see Alexander-Arnold marauding down the right flank or orchestrating the midfield, know that Liverpool’s vice-captain is poised to make an impact wherever he plays, continuing to be a vital part of the Reds’ pursuit of glory.
