ALIVE AND TRENT ENJOYS A FAN-TASTIC RUN
TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD remembers the start of Liverpool’s current 25-match unbeaten run very well – but he wouldn’t exactly like to relive it.
As the local lad, ‘the Scouser in the team’ as the song goes, Alexander-Arnold would have dreamed of scoring last minute winners in front of the Kop in the manner that often seemed second nature to Steven Gerrard.
But given that – due to lockdown – the only cheers for his late long-distance strike to secure victory against Aston Villa at Anfield on April 10 were from his teammates and club staff, it isn’t a goal that will live long in his or Liverpool fans’ memories.
“It didn’t feel the same,” says Alexander-Arnold, speaking ahead of today’s trip to West Ham where the Reds will set a new club record if they remain unbeaten.
“It’s one of those that you know that if the fans are there then Anfield erupts, and it’s a special day. This just kind of felt more normal.
“I had to wait until I got in and went on my phone to get all the fan reaction, so it was delayed.
“It was an important goal though, and it was important for our objectives.
“A club like Liverpool need to be playing Champions League football, and I think that was a goal that really helped us achieve that.”
With top level European football secured, Liverpool have gone about making sure last season’s struggles haven’t affected them in the current campaign.
Unbeaten in 10 Premier League games, they look handily placed in the table despite uncharacteristically dropping two points from 2-0 up against Brighton last weekend.
Having comfortably seen off Atletico
Madrid in the Champions League in midweek, thoughts have now turned to righting last weekend’s wrongs at the
London Stadium.
“Last week was disappointing for us,” admits Alexander-Arnold
(right). “At two goals up, we’re a team – with the quality we have – we should never let anyone back into the game but we did.
“But we’re not too focused on the table at the moment really, as long as we’re in and around the top.
“There’s more competition this year than the year we won it (in 2019-20), when it was really only us and City in it.
“It’s just about executing game-by-game and having consistency. I think so far, still being unbeaten, we are somewhat consistent.
“It’s just about making sure we don’t drop points like we did last week.
“We just need to keep winning games, then after Christmas in February and March is when it really comes into play.”
And as thoughts turn towards the festive season, AlexanderArnold – who appears in the JD Sports Christmas ‘King of the Street’ ad this weekend – is hoping that his Christmas gifts will be delayed.
“I’ll take a few trophies,” he laughed. “Probably not for Christmas, but I’ll get them on the list for the New Year.
“We are going to need everyone over the course of the season, but we want to go and win the Premier League, Champions League and cups as well.
“We want to push on all fronts and prove that we’re a world-class team – a team that should be winning multiple trophies
every season.”
MARK JONES
The JD Sports Christmas campaign started airing yesterday on TV, with JD exclusive product drops available online at jdsports. co.uk and in stores across the UK.
CARLTON
COLE believes David Moyes is on his way to becoming one of West Ham’s all-time greats. Ron Greenwood won the European Cup Winners’ Cup as Hammers boss and John Lyall steered them to third in the old First Division but ex-striker Cole said: “Moyes is up there with great managers the club’s had. What he’s done in a short space of time is remarkable.”
JURGEN KLOPP reckons his record-chasing Liverpool stars are getting better – because he keeps Embargo kicking 2230 their Sat backsides. Nov 6
By David Lynch Jurgen
Klopp’s Reds will set a new club
Klopp believes Diogo Jota’s
standard of 26 games unbeaten if they
close friendship with James
avoid defeat against West Ham at the
Milner says everything about
London Stadium.
his ‘outstanding’ qualities off
And the Kop boss has warned the
the pitch.
Premier League and Europe that his
The Portuguese has netted
men will still be improving well into
18 times in just 43
their late 30s after a spectacular
appearances since signing
return to form this season.
for the Reds last summer, but
Klopp said: “Are we better than we
it is impact in the dressing
were two years ago? We don’t know
room that most pleases his
yet. But as long as these boys aren’t 40
manager.
then we will improve them.
He said: “He’s always very
“The way we work together, the
important, Diogo I’m so
things we do, how we inspire
happy we had the idea to
ourselves and each other –
sign him because he
all these kinds of things
is a proper
make this a very
package. special group. And they will be considered in the future, looking back, as a very special group.
“I know this already, but I don’t praise them or celebrate with them.
“No. I’m here to kick their butts from time to time. That’s what you do to take the next step.”
Liverpool finished second in the Premier League to Manchester City in 2019 despite winning 97 points.
But they made up for it by winning the Champions League and then taking the title back to Anfield for the first time in 30 years the following season by claiming 99 points.
Klopp’s championship defence was wrecked by a catalogue of injuries last term. But he was adamant that his squad had not yet reached the end of the road.
And after a late surge enabled them to clinch qualification for the Champions League, they have marched on to take their unbeaten run to 25 games – to match the record last set by Bob Paisley’s all-conquering team of the 1980s.
Klopp now believes the trials and tribulations of last season provided the springboard for more success.
He said: “We learned a lot last year. We started well, then the injury crisis hit us and we had to sort problems we didn’t know we would have. We couldn’t be prepared for that.
“So we sorted it somehow and then qualified for the Champions League. That was absolutely insane and absolutely great. “Then, of course, we had a proper pre-season and we worked a lot of offensive stuff.”
Reds captain Jordan Henderson has been a driving force, both on and off the pitch. And while Klopp is delighted that the midfielder, 31, has now been rewarded with a new four-year contract, he does not believe that his skipper went into the season needing to prove his worth to the club. Klopp added: “Hendo has been essential to all the things we achieved in the last few years so he has no point to prove.
“If anybody thinks he didn’t play a good season last year that was because he was injured in the last part of the season. I know his natural motivation is already at the limit.
“You don’t have to put oil in the fire, there is enough fire there already. “That’s Hendo. We need players like him in the club in the long-term because these boys have the quality, mindset and the attitude. They set standards for all the rest.”