Alexander-Arnold shines to help Liverpool to victory at Hoffenheim

TEENAGER Trent Alexander-Arnold enjoyed a special European debut with a brilliant free-kick to set Liverpool on their way to victory in their Champions League play-off first leg against Hoffenheim.

Set-pieces had led to Liverpool drawing at Watford on Saturday, but the 18-year-old, in only his 14th senior appearance, showed there is also a flip-side with a maiden goal of which absent Brazilian Philippe Coutinho would have been proud.

Simon Mignolet’s save from former Leicester striker Andrej Kramaric’s poor penalty early in the game proved equally as valuable, and although Havard Nordtveit’s own goal appeared to give them a cushion, Mark Uth’s 87th-minute strike ensured next week’s second leg at Anfield will not be straightforward.

Alexander-Arnold is the first Liverpool-born player to score for the club since Rickie Lambert in January 2015.

His 35th-minute free-kick was whipped over a seven-man wall, and although goalkeeper Oliver Baumann appeared slow to react that should not detract from the quality of the strike.

Alexander-Arnold has been given his chance in the team due to injury to England international Nathaniel Clyne, although his promising performances towards the end of last season and his form in summer friendlies suggested he would be pushing the England international hard going into this campaign in any case.

That he was not only Liverpool’s best defender, but the best outfield player – Mignolet made a couple of important saves – against a team playing their first Champions League fixture will have manager Jurgen Klopp asking questions of those far more experienced around him.

After shipping three goals at Vicarage Road, Liverpool’s backline was equally as unconvincing in the Rhein-Neckar-Arena, with Dejan Lovren conceding an 11th-minute penalty with a foul on former Arsenal striker Serge Gnabry.

However, he was spared by Mignolet, who barely had to move to beat away Kramaric’s effort – the Belgium international’s seventh spot-kick save with only Sam Hardy (10), Elisha Scott (nine) and Bruce Grobbelaar (eight) making more in the club’s history.

Alexander-Arnold stepped in front of senior colleagues Emre Can and Alberto Moreno to apply a touch of class with his freekick, James Milner made sure of the win when his cross went in off Nordtveit, but Uth’s late strike gave Hoffenheim hope.