‘EDUARDO’S WAS WORST... HIS ANKLE WAS LITERALLY TORN OFF’
COLIN LEWIN saw a lot of things in his 23 years as an Arsenal physio.
It probably takes a bit to embarrass him. But how about the time he boarded the team bus after Arsenal beat Manchester United 2-1 at Wembley in the Community Shield?
He sat down in his usual seat at the front, expecting to chat with boss Arsene Wenger... only to find Nicky Butt staring back at him. Lewin said:
The verdict on the incredible impact of the Liverpool youngster comes from legendary England and Nottingham Forest defender Viv Anderson.
Alexander-arnold can improve defensively but, says Anderson, that seems almost irrelevant while he is launching attacks.
Which is something he does often playing for Jurgen Klopp’s Premier
“Nicky was just looking at me and I wondered why he was on our bus.
“I then looked at Paul Scholes and Jordi Cruyff and thought the same... until I realised what I’d done.
“I couldn’t get off the bus quickly enough, but then I remembered I hadn’t got the treatment table, so I had to go back and get that as well.”
There has also been the tough side and having to deal with some gruesome injuries, including Aaron Ramsey’s horrific leg break at Stoke in
League champions-elect against opponents who sit deep and try to soak up pressure for 90 minutes.
In that situation, Three Lions ace Alexander-arnold, 21, enjoys the freedom of the Anfield right flank – and can dictate proceedings in previously unseen fashion.
Pin-up
Which, according to two-time European Cup winner Anderson (right), is why he has become the new pin-up boy of the Premier League.
Asked if kids will now want to be flying full-backs as opposed to silky playmakers or prolific strikers, Anderson, who played right-back 2010. The one that always stands out, however, was the open ankle dislocation and broken fibula suffered by Eduardo da Silva against Birmingham two years earlier.
Lewin added: “That was as bad as it gets because we were truly concerned for the limb. It wasn’t life-threatening, but it was limb-threatening – and therefore career-threatening.
“It was an injury I’d never seen before and probably won’t see again – the ankle literally being torn off. I for Forest, Arsenal and Manchester United, said: “Yes, definitely.
“What Trent has achieved in that position – and also his Liverpool team-mate Andy Robertson on the other side – has glamorised being a full-back.
“He’s able to dominate the game from there. He is a modern-day superstar – and rightly so.
“Alexander-arnold’s attacking talent is just incredible. In terms of assists, he’s up there with everybody.
“He’s fabulous going forward and, if you are Klopp, you want him there, creating and putting crosses wasn’t pitchside but I was in the ambulance with him and he did well to get back to any level from that.”
By the time Lewin left in 2018, he had been lead physio at Arsenal for 10 years, replacing his cousin Gary Lewin in the job after he left to become England physio for six years.
The pair now work at the Lewin Clinic, a sports injury centre in Essex, backed by Ramsey and Petr Cech and set up with help from Wenger and ex-arsenal vice-chairman David Dein. in. When he offers you that, you forgive his misdemeanors at the other end.’’
Anderson, now 63, reckons England boss Gareth Southgate is spoilt for choice in defence. In addition to Alexanderarnold, there is Manchester United pair Aaron Wanbissaka and Luke Shaw, Leicester ace Ben Chilwell and Arsenal teenager Bukayo Saka. Anderson, the first black player to be capped by England, added: “The beauty of having so many world-class full-backs is they can bomb forward, while other players cover.”