Rio Ferdinand has spotted something different about Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold

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Rio Ferdinand has praised Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold after his superb left-footed assist for Luis Diaz against Villarreal.

Liverpool headed to Spain on Tuesday night for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final clash with Villarreal.

Leading 2-0 from the first leg, Liverpool were widely expected to advance into the final with relative comfort.

Instead, Villarreal levelled the tie with a fine first-half showing. Boulaye Dia and Francis Coquelin both scored to make it 2-2 on aggregate.

Liverpool could have buckled under that pressure but came out rejuvenated after the break with Luis Diaz sent on for Diogo Jota.

Fabinho started the fightback before Diaz added a second, with Sadio Mane sealing the victory with a third.

Liverpool will now meet Manchester City or Real Madrid in the final, which is their third under Jurgen Klopp.

Diaz certainly deserved his goal having turned in a superb substitute appearance, but Rio Ferdinand wanted to highlight the assist.

Trent Alexander-Arnold took the ball on the right hand side with bags of room to work in.

Alexander-Arnold could have whipped the ball in with his right foot or had a run at Villarreal left back Pervis Estupinan.

Instead, Alexander-Arnold shifted the ball onto his ‘weaker’ left foot, crossing in for Diaz to grab Liverpool’s second goal.

This is something we maybe don’t see all that often from Alexander-Arnold but it was vital for that goal.

Villarreal may have expected the right-footed cross from Alexander-Arnold but he decided to work a different angle by going on his left foot.

Ferdinand loved that moment, telling BT Sport (10:19pm) that he has spotted Alexander-Arnold adding more left-footed play to his arsenal.

Ferdinand believes that is the kind of thing that separates Alexander-Arnold from other right backs – and how Liverpool benefited from that on Tuesday.

“Trent could cross this ball with his right foot,” said Ferdinand. “This is the difference between Trent and a lot of other players. He is now adding the left foot to his armoury. Most other right backs there get the ball out of their feet on the right foot and cross it,” he added.