Ryan Giggs and Dietmar Hamann defended Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold on Stadium Astro and slammed the ‘ridiculous’ criticism he is getting for recent performances.
Along with Liverpool’s alarming dip in form, Alexander-Arnold is also looking like the shadow of the player that was wowing his supporters week in and week out during recent campaigns.
The 22-year-old started Liverpool’s FA Cup defeat to Manchester United on Sunday, but once again failed to get his engine going.
Both Giggs and Hamann agreed that Alexander-Arnold ‘needs a break’ as they defended the qualities he has in his boots.
“I think he needs a break,” said Hamann. “But with the injuries and the players out, at the moment, the manager just feels he cannot give him a rest. I think the criticism towards him is ridiculous. I think both fullbacks have been the best two or three fullbacks in the last two or three years.
Giggs added: “It’s only natural that a young player does have a dip in form. We talk about giving him a rest. It’s not only physically, it’s mentally as well.
“I remember my third or fourth season where I had a dip and then I had a calf strain. I wasn’t really fit when I came back and then I was trying too hard.
“Then, like Trent Alexander-Arnold, I was from the area and there’s a lot of pressure on when you are local because you know what people are saying. It’s your club and you want to do the best you can, so there’s that added pressure as well. But, without a shadow of a doubt, he will come back.
“He just needs that sort of confidence. And maybe that physical and mental break. But that’s difficult in this environment and this sort of season.”
It needs to be remembered that Alexander-Arnold, at still a young age, has set the bar so high in recent years that any dip would be obvious.
The problem he is facing is that his teammates are also looking to find that zip in their game again and it makes his dip in form that more difficult to overcome.
Well, the pressure is only going to mount on Liverpool on Thursday because they face fifth-placed Tottenham in the Premier League knowing that a defeat will see them drop out of the Champions League places.
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