Alexander The Great lights up Liverpool
TEENAGER Trent Alexander-Arnold was in dreamland after his stunning free-kick helped Liverpool leave Germany in charge of their Champions League destiny.
The 18-year-old curled Jurgen Klopp’s side into the lead against Hoffenheim on what was only his ninth start as he continues to impress in Nathaniel Clyne’s absence.
‘It’s a thing of dreams to make your European debut for your boyhood club, especially to mark it with a goal,’ said Alexander-Arnold. ‘I got egged on to take it. I never put my hand up, but I had the confidence to take it and it paid off.’
Klopp praised the right-back’s mentality but revealed he forced Alexander-Arnold to step up ahead of more senior team-mates. He also refused to criticise the defender for allowing Mark Uth to net late on.
‘For an 18-year-old to have the guts to take a free-kick like that is more exciting for me than a little mistake he made,’ said Klopp. ‘It was a very intense game for him. He has a few things to learn but he’s a great player.
‘I told him he has to do it. Maybe in a situation like this it helps if the manager says: “Trent takes it”. A little bit lucky, the wall didn’t jump, but a very good free-kick.
‘If somebody would have told me that you will definitely win tonight, I would have taken 8-7.
‘I’m happy. Hoffenheim deserved their goal. But I also thought we played really well defensively.’
Liverpool’s defensive effort was aided by Hoffenheim’s profligacy, particularly in the early stages of the match.
With the score locked at 0-0, the Germans were awarded an 11th-minute penalty after Dejan Lovren upended Serge Gnabry. But former Leicester City striker Andrej Kramaric made a mess of it and saw his spot-kick saved by Simon Mignolet.
That sparked Liverpool into life and they duly took the lead through Alexander-Arnold on 35 minutes, his superb free-kick nestling into the bottom corner.
James Milner’s shot deflected off Havard Nordtveit to put Liverpool 2-0 ahead in the 74th minute, but Uth’s late response will give the home side a lifeline in next Wednesday’s second leg at Anfield.
Hoffenheim manager Julian Nagelsmann bemoaned his side’s bad luck, with the 30-year-old also rejecting Klopp’s claim that Liverpool allowed the hosts to play in unthreatening areas.
‘Of course Jurgen has to say that,’ said Nagelsmann. ‘He won’t say: “Hoffenheim are a great team and we were s***”.
‘We had the better chances. We were unlucky. Home or away doesn’t make a difference — I don’t care.’