1 year ago
242 Steve Nicol has admitted that he was left applauding Trent Alexander-Arnold at home while watching Liverpool beat Aston Villa in emphatic fashion on Sunday.
Nicol was speaking on ESPN after the Reds kept themselves amongst the pace-setters in the Premier League with the superb victory over Unai Emery’s men.
Trent Alexander-Arnold did not score on Sunday. But he certainly played a starring role in the win – just one week after a much more difficult afternoon at Newcastle.
Nicol left applauding Alexander-Arnold after Liverpool win
Alexander-Arnold actually provided the assist for the opening goal, with his corner running all the way through to Dominik Szoboszlai. The Hungarian then unleashed a thunderous drive into the far side of the net.
Alexander-Arnold went on to make five key passes during the game, according to Whoscored. And some of the long balls he was playing were absolutely outrageous. Certainly, he made Mohamed Salah’s afternoon a lot more fun with some of the passes he was finding him with.
And Nicol admitted that he was left amazed by what he saw from the England international in the win against the Villans.
“I’ve got to say, and I know I do particularly give Alexander-Arnold some stick about his defending, I tell you what there was about three passes today where I was sat in front of the tele clapping,” he told ESPN.
The thing is Alexander-Arnold’s quality on the ball has never been in any doubt. Anyone who suggests that he is anything other than world-class in possession is clearly wrong.
The issue comes when he endures days like last weekend. He had a torrid time up against Anthony Gordon. And once he was controversially given that first yellow card, he was extremely lucky to stay on the pitch following the challenge soon after.
Defensively, there is a lot for Alexander-Arnold to work on. But there is absolutely no question that he is an unbelievable player when he is able to get his head up and try and pick out a pass.
Not many players in the Premier League would have been able to pull the strings as he did on Sunday.
The post 'I've got to say': ESPN pundit says he was clapping while watching one Liverpool player against Aston Villa appeared first on The Boot Room.
