Teen sensation will get even better, vows Klopp

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 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 and 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 balls to take a free-kick like that is more exciting for me than a little mistake he made,’ Klopp said. ‘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 over the 90 minutes with their effort. But I also thought we played really well defensively.’ Hoffenheim manager Julian Nagelsmann bemoaned his side’s bad luck after former Leicester forward Andrej Kramaric missed a first-half penalty at 0-0. And 30-year-old Nagelsmann rejected Klopp’s claim that Liverpool allowed the hosts to play in unthreatening areas. ‘Of course Jurgen has to say that,’ he said. ‘He won’t say “Hoffenheim are a great team and we were s***”. ‘We had the better, clearer chances. We weren’t the worst team but we were unlucky. Home or away doesn’t make a difference — I don’t care.’