TRENT: REDS ARE DRAWN TO REBOOT

TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD says Liverpool have already gone back to the drawing board as they tackle a season like no other.

The Reds have made a slow start and have half the points of Premier League leaders Arsenal, albeit having played a game fewer.

Alarm bells have been ringing after below-par displays in a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United and a 4-1 thrashing at Napoli.

But Alexander-arnold (top and below), who has been on the end of some harsh criticism for his own performances, believes a turnaround in fortunes will come on both a collective and personal level.

“It was back to the drawing board after Napoli, and making sure we need to start getting our stuff in order,” said the Liverpool right-back. “I think I’m getting there, personally.

“It’s hard because it’s been different to how other seasons start.

“Normally you’ll have three or four games in August, at the weekends, then it will be internationals, then the Champions League, then another international.

“I always see the first part of the season as like three little blocks of four weeks with the internationals breaking them up, and each time you’ll play a little bit more football. Whereas now it’s like from the get go you’re in at the deep end.”

Defeat at Old Trafford – Liverpool’s first in the league this calendar year – made many sit up and take notice of the poor form, and Jurgen Klopp had plenty to say after the loss.

“The manager speaks directly after the game,” added Alexander-arnold.

“Then we have a meeting the following day for five minutes or so, and the manager will speak again about the game when he’s had a bit more time to process it, and it’s not just acting on emotion.

“That game was probably the big, bad game we had early on in the season, which was rough.”

Klopp’s words did not seem to do the trick though, and after the limp defeat in Naples, the German stated he might need to “reinvent” his team in order to address their slump.

“I’d say the result felt right because it’s what we deserved, but in terms of how we played we didn’t feel right on the pitch,” Alexander-arnold admitted in a Red Bull interview. “We really needed to look at ourselves after that.

“It was a humbling one.”