Alan Shearer has claimed that he now views Trent Alexander-Arnold as a midfielder rather than a defender.
The Liverpool ace has redefined the full back role ever since making his Reds debut back in 2016 with his world-class passing and creativity but at times during the back end of last season and during the current campaign has been deployed in the middle of the park.
The England international can either be deployed at right back and step into the engine room when his side are in possession or operate as a number six with Joe Gomez deputising in the full-back role.
Former Newcastle United forward Shearer has labelled our No. 66’s ability as ‘out of this world’ despite admitting he doesn’t view the Scouser as a ‘great defender’.
“I don’t think he is a great defender, Trent, but in terms of what he does for Liverpool – his range of passing, his crossing, it’s just out of this world. I would class him more as a midfielder now than a defender,” Shearer told the Rest Is Football Podcast (via Rousing The Kop).
The criticism Alexander-Arnold often gets for his defensive ability is slightly over the top in our opinion.
We’ve conceded the least goals in the Premier League this term (18) and that’s only possible when you have a solid back four working as an entire unit.
England manager Gareth Southgate does prefer to play the 25-year-old in midfield but Klopp still persists with the Academy graduate at right back while giving him a lot more freedom to enter into central areas further up the pitch.
The Liverpool ace is now level with his teammate Andy Robertson in holding the record for the most assists by a defender in Premier League history (57) and we expect both of those players to increase that record in the next few seasons.
We believe Trent does a brilliant job in defence but if a world-class right back can be signed in the near future we wouldn’t mind seeing the Englishman trialled in a more traditional midfield role.
Liverpool struggled last season and missed out on a top four finish for just the second time under Jurgen Klopp.
We did, however, end the campaign strongly once Alexander-Arnold began being deployed in the inverted full-back role – something we believe is no coincidence.
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