"I can’t believe how bad Trent Alexander-Arnold is at defending" - Manchester United legend launches scathing attack on Liverpool star
Manchester United legend Roy Keane has slammed Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold's poor defending capabilities.
The England international has been pivotal to the Reds' Premier League form this season by tucking into midfield and creating chances. Jurgen Klopp's side are currently atop the league standings, two points clear of second-placed Manchester City.
Questioning the player's one-on-one defending, Keane told the Stick to Football Podcast (via Liverpool Echo):
"I can’t believe how bad [Trent Alexander-Arnold] is at defending. For a guy that’s played a lot of games in defence, it’s like he’s never played the position before. How bad he is at defending, it’s amazing when people just run past him."
Arsenal hero Ian Wright, who was also on the show, was quick to jump to Alexander-Arnold's defense. He said:
"It's such a redundant argument. For people saying players run past him, he's not playing that role now. He is a creator now."
This season, the defender has provided nine assists across competitions and has chipped in with two important goals in the Premier League. One of these strikes came in the 1-1 draw against Manchester City when Alexander-Arnold equalized for his side in the 80th minute (November 25).
He is set to be out for a few weeks due to injury, as confirmed by assistant manager Pep Lijnders following Liverpool's 2-0 FA Cup win against Arsenal (January 7).
Up next for the Merseysiders is a trip to the Vitality Stadium, where they face Bournemouth in a Premier League match on Sunday (January 21).
Liverpool open talks for Wolves star amid injury crisis - Reports
Liverpool have reportedly opened talks with Wolverhampton Wanderers over a deal for left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri amid injuries to Andrew Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas.
According to Football Transfers, Wolves are looking for over £50 million to sanction the deal, with the Reds' Premier League rivals Arsenal also interested in the full-back.
Although Joe Gomez has been used as a temporary solution, Jurgen Klopp would wish for a more natural player to perform the role. Ait-Nouri has impressed this season, having made 19 appearances across competitions.
A move to Liverpool for the 22-year-old would earn him the chance to compete for the Premier League title and potentially the UEFA Champions League next year. However, he will have to contend with both Robertson and Tsimikas for minutes when they return to action.