Former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant says the defeat to Manchester City showed how much the Reds are “missing” Trent Alexander-Arnold.
City pressed Virgil van Dijk, and allowed both Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley to have possession in deep areas. Neither was effective in moving the ball forward and City were able to prevent Arne Slot’s side from building from the back as a result.
Speaking exclusively to Walk On (courtesy of New Betting Sites UK), Pennant suggested that the tactic would not have worked if the Reds had somebody with Trent’s ability on the ball:
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“What he gives you going forward – the vision, the ability to get out of tight spaces when they’re getting pressed, the ball’s over the top for Salah was nothing but Beckham-esque, and when you’ve got that – to be able to do that – it unlocks so many things.”
Alexander-Arnold’s ability on the ball had several benefits
Pennant claims that Trent’s passing also discouraged opponents from pressing too high, as they would risk being exposed at the back:
“It gives opposing teams [other things] to think of – the other side of the game, not just pressing, it’s about what’s going behind them. And it makes them a little bit reluctant, and then you get the more time, more space, so it has a knock-on effect so yeah, they’re missing Trent massively, and I think we’re seeing that with Salah, how he misses Trent with their firsthand balls over the top, through the defence – they are missing Trent on all fronts.”
Liverpool need another ball-playing defender
It’s clear that progressing the ball from the back has been one of the Reds’ biggest issues since the summer, and that has coincided with the departure of Trent.
While the Merseysiders bought creative players like Florian Wirtz in the last transfer window, they didn’t really replace Alexander-Arnold’s passing in the defensive third, and that has to be addressed sooner rather than later.
You can read another extract from our exclusive interview with Pennant here, as he explains why signing a centre-back in January could be part of the solution.
Read more about the Liverpool First Team Squad for 2025/26 here