Premier League legend Rio Ferdinand insists that Trent Alexander-Arnold must improve at the back with his late equaliser during Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City not enough to cover up a ‘horrific defensive performance’.
Ok, you could possibly forgive Liverpool’s number 66 for being left for dead by Jeremy Doku. But Nathan Ake?
The Dutch international is hardly the most swashbuckling of players at the best of times but he waltzed past Trent Alexander-Arnold before setting up Erling Haaland’s opener during Saturday’s clash between the two Premier League challengers.
That was one of seven times in which Alexander-Arnold was dribbled past in a one-v-one situation. A record total in England’s top flight this season.
And, as far as Ferdinand is concerned, his fine 80th minute strike had a ‘papering over the cracks’ sort of feeling to it.
Trent Alexander-Arnold under fire
“Listen, on the ball he does things we’ve rarely seen from a full-back. His passing, his range over varying distances. (But defensively) I just don’t understand it. There’s a passiveness when he has to defend. There’s no intensity,” the former Manchester United, West Ham and England centre-back tells Vibe with Five.
“He goes in like he’s forgot about the fundamentals about defending. Doku, there isn’t a winger in the league right now who is as aggressive as him. Before the game starts you go, ‘right, I’m going to be ready because he will try go down the line or inside’.
“It looked like Trent didn’t have an understanding or an acknowledgement that this is that guy.”
Ferdinand draws comparisons with the likes of Cafu and Dani Alves. Two full-backs who were more renowned for their attacking work than their defensive duties. But Cafu and Alves, he adds, could still stick a boot in when required, and Alexander-Arnold is yet to prove that he has the same resilience in his locker.
Liverpool snatch Manchester City point
“I want to know what Trent is thinking. He gets the goal – that’s unbelievable – but does he think that disguises a horrific defensive performance?” Ferdinand wonders.
“Is he thinking, ‘I’ve got to improve defensively?’ That is the question I want to be answered because then you can get to understand, can he be a good right-back? Can he be a top, top right-back?
Or is he already thinking, ‘I’m morphing out of that now and I’m more attack-minded. Everything I do with the ball outweighs anything I do’?”
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