Arne Slot and Conor Bradley
Bradley has shown to be an assured option for Slot at right-back
In another universe, Trent Alexander-Arnold would have impressed for Liverpool against Real Madrid before embracing England pal Jude Bellingham at the final whistle.
They would have smiled at each other and maybe even exchanged a knowing glance which said ‘see you next summer’. But in the real world, a very different match was played out. Alexander-Arnold watched unneeded from the bench as Conor Bradley produced a Rottweiler of a display, which the Kop lapped up.
The GIF of his flying tackle on Kylian Mbappe, as the Real forward bore down on goal, would have made Tommy Smith proud and is an instant hit on social media for Liverpool fans. He sent the world’s supposed best player spinning into the air before landing on his head.
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Conor Bradley comments say it all after Liverpool star's tackle on Kylian Mbappe](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/conor-bradley-kylian-mbappe-madrid-34203702)
The Anfield crowd loved it and chanted his name in honour of the Northern Irish hero. Just like Alexander-Arnold, Bradley grew up adoring Liverpool and would never consider leaving his beloved Reds in search of trophies.
On Wednesday night's compelling evidence, Alexander-Arnold will win more at Liverpool and the Reds are steaming clear at the top of both the Champions League and the Premier League. Of course, losing him to Real would be a major blow to Liverpool and he is the Premier League’s finest passer of the ball and a deadly set-piece specialist on his day.
But Bradley proved his departure would not be disastrous for Liverpool. Bradley, still only 21, is a better defender than Alexander-Arnold, even though he is not a natural right-back. He loves to attack and has four goals in his last nine appearances for Northern Ireland to show he can score.
He can also assist and he set up Alexis MacAllister for Liverpool’s opener before winning the ball in the build-up to Mohamed Salah’s missed penalty. He would have loved Wednesday night and the bigger the challenge, the more he relishes it.
Bradley was handed one of the most-difficult jobs in football, trying to shackle Mbappe, but the down-to-earth Ulsterman, from the backwaters of County Tyrone, did it brilliantly. Not once did Mbappe attempt to go outside Bradley on his left foot and each time, he came inside, running sideways and gaining no momentum.
Trent Alexander-Arnold could join Real Madrid on a free
Then there was that tackle and it got the biggest cheer of the first half, lifting the crowd, as he showed Liverpool meant business. It was like when Jon Flanagan crumpled Raheem Sterling in the opening minutes of a Premier League game at Anfield in 2016, inspiring the Reds to victory.
In the end, Mbappe gave up trying - and failing - to get past Bradley and came inside to the No 9 role where he had just as little influence. His biggest moment was his missed penalty and the French star is in a real rut.
What a contrast with Bradley’s form and his performance equalled, or even surpassed, his display against Chelsea in January when he scored his first Liverpool goal and laid on two assists.
Arne Slot has a decision to make and does he recall Alexander-Arnold for Manchester City on Sunday or stick with Bradley? Before it would have been an obvious choice, but now it is not so clear.
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