Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander Arnold has had his critics in recent weeks but the England international roared back into the headlines with a stunning free-kick against Rangers.
With the form Allan McGregor was in throughout the first half in particular it was going to take something special to beat the Ibrox veteran at Ibrox and TAA duly delivered.
After Ben Davies had committed something of a needless foul against Darwin Nunez around 30 yards from goal, there would’ve been a few chewing their fingernails about the ball hitting the back of the net.
But there’s not a football fan anywhere who won’t appreciate the quality of the free-kick from Trent Alexander Arnold, who curled it right into the top corner and well out of McGregor’s reach.
It comes at an important time for Trent, the right-back having been routinely criticised for defensive lapses with the player having a particularly bad game against Napoli at Champions League level.
Whilst there will be – as much as it pains me to say it – tougher tests to come than Rangers in the coming weeks the goal is bound to be a major confidence boost for a player under pressure.
Trent Alexander Arnold earns backing after Rangers goal
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has previously discussed the sacrifice Trent Alexander Arnold has to make defensively in order to flourish in the top half of the pitch but there are detractors who believe the right-back isn’t at the levels required for Liverpool and England.
Liverpool teammate and ex-Celtic defender van Dijk spoke after the victory over Rangers and claims the right-back showed his quality to help defeat the Scottish outfit.
“We know the quality he has and he showed it again today,” said van Dijk [Sky Sports].
“But I’ve been in the UK now for eight, nine years and everyone here is very good to praise a player very high up to the sky and let them fall as hard as they can.
“That’s what we, as players, have to deal with. Everyone is talking about how we should accept it.
“For him to just carry on working – not only him but other players as well – deal with it and show reaction today is what we need, all of us. To do that, I think it’s important that we back him and the manager and the club and the fans.”
The stunning strike settled Liverpool nerves in the opening ten minutes of the game and set the Anfield club up for what has been criticised in Rangers quarters as too routine a victory against van Bronckhorst’s side.
The Gers were also not helped a series of injuries that have not allowed them to give their best in this season’s Champions League.
