Football legend striker Gary Lineker agrees that Liverpool felt the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold during their Carabao Cup final defeat to Newcastle. The Reds faced a disheartening 2-1 loss at Wembley on Sunday, compounding their woes after being knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain on penalties earlier in the week.
Despite Federico Chiesa's late goal offering a glimmer of hope for Arne Slot's side, the Magpies emerged as worthy victors in London. Dan Burn's howitzer header and Alexander Isak's clinical half-volley sealed Newcastle's victory to bring the club its first domestic trophy since 1955. Alexander-Arnold was deemed unfit after suffering an ankle injury against PSG days prior, and Micah Richards delved into how his absence weakened Liverpool. And his colleague strongly agreed on just how much the Reds missed his impact.
"They just didn't have the same flow they usually have. And you know Trent on a big pitch - he's a great passer of the ball," said Richards on The Rest Is Football podcast (via the Liverpool Echo). "Whether he's driving forward, whether he's getting on the ball in that space, making things happen. I just thought, from Liverpool's point of view, they really missed him."
Lineker echoed Richards' sentiments with an approving "Oh, yeah" when it came to Liverpool's lost vision on the right flank. This served to underscore the sentiment that Liverpool indeed missed their star defender's dynamic presence down that side of the pitch.
The absence of Alexander-Arnold, coupled with the unavailability of alternative Conor Bradley in London, left Liverpool without a natural right-back. And that forced Slot to start central defender Jarell Quansah in the role instead.
Newcastle capitalised to say the least, with much of their play coming down their left flank. And it was Tino Livramento's overlapping run from left-back that set up Isak's deciding goal.
Despite Liverpool's off day, few could dispute that the Magpies deserved their first domestic cup in 70 years. Eddie Howe's men had 17 attempts at goal to Liverpool's six, using the airways to dominate in particular.
For some, this result may underscore why Liverpool should make every effort to retain Alexander-Arnold this summer. The England international's contract is set to expire in June, and there are growing rumours he may join Real Madrid on a free transfer.
As seasoned stars Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah also near the ends of their deals, there's a case to be made the more youthful Alexander-Arnold is most deserving of an extension. And Sunday's performance highlighted the gap in Liverpool's creative department when the 26-year-old is unavailable.
The question remains whether rising star Bradley - who has been hampered by injuries this season - is prepared to step into the void. The 21-year-old has demonstrated his potential in victories over Real, Manchester United and Bayer Leverkusen this term, and he has even captained Northern Ireland on several occasions.
Despite Sunday's loss potentially increasing the pressure at Anfield, Slot and his team remain comfortably ahead in the Premier League with a 12-point lead. However, there may be some apprehension regarding possible departures in the upcoming summer, with their star right-back among those potentially set to depart.