"Adapts to anything you ask of him" - Liverpool star backs teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold to thrive in new position
Liverpool defender Andrew Robertson has backed Reds teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold to continue to excel in his new advanced role for club and country.
Liverpool had a poor 2022-23 season as they finished outside the Premier League top four for the first time in seven years, thus missing out on Champions League qualification. However, they ended the campaign on a positive note, staying unbeaten in their last 11 top-flight games. The Reds moving to a 3-2-2-3 formation was one of the major catalysts to their revival.
The new system allowed Alexander-Arnold, 24, to take on a new hybrid role that saw him drift into midfield, often playing alongside Fabinho. The right-back bagged one goal and seven assists in Liverpool's last 10 league games.
Robertson has now said he has doubts that Alexander-Arnold will thrive in his new role. The Reds left-back added that the England international would excel in any position due to his technical ability.
"Trent is Trent and that's the biggest compliment I can pay him," Robertson told Sky Sports. "He adapts to anything you ask of him. He's still relatively young, but he's got a wise head on his shoulders. When you’re that technically gifted, you’ve got that much ability and talent then you can play any position. He would make the most of it and more importantly he's got that aggression and will to succeed."
England manager Gareth Southgate, meanwhile, played Alexander-Arnold in midfield in the team's recent 2024 UEFA European Championship qualifiers. The right-back had great joy as he scored one goal and provided one assist, helping the Three Lions beat Malta and North Macedonia 4-0 and 7-0, respectively.
Robertson expressed delight at Alexander-Arnold, who had not started a game for England since their 1-0 loss to Hungary in June 2022, enjoying his time away with the national team.
"I think you've seen that," Robertson added. "Going away with England, it has been tough for him over the years, probably hasn't played as much as he wants, been left out of some squads and things like that, but I think maybe they've found a position for him. Now that he can play there and learn, the scary thing is that he'll improve in that position as well. I think he got the credit he deserved in the last two games."
It remains to be seen if Southgate will continue to use the Liverpool star as a midfielder moving forward.
Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold's performance for England against North Macedonia in numbers
Trent Alexander-Arnold started alongside Declan Rice and Liverpool teammate Jordan Henderson for England against North Macedonia on Monday (June 19). He had 68 touches, which was only bettered by four players across both teams. The 24-year-old also played 55 passes, including one key pass, with 98% accuracy.
The Reds right-back attempted three dribbles but didn't complete any of them. It's worth noting that he also lost possession nine times, with only Henderson and Marcus Rashford faring worse among teammates. He committed two fouls as well.
Alexander-Arnold won two of the eight duels he competed in and made one tackle. Furthermore, he made two interceptions and one clearance, while being dribbled past once. His performance helped England edge closer to qualifying for the 2024 European Championship. The Three Lions are currently atop Group C of the qualifiers with 12 points, having won each of their four games so far.