When Alexander-Arnold made his debut on the field against Man City, donning a vintage pair of white Predators complete with a fold-over tongue, he had football fans of a certain age in stitches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Actually, they are the most recent iteration of the legendary footwear, which pays homage to the heyday of players like David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Alessandro del Piero, and Gerrard. Jude Bellingham, a famous player for Real Madrid, is also seen sporting a pair.

Even better, Trent’s goal against Liverpool’s title rivals in a 1-1 draw was a crucial equalizer that Gerrard would have been proud of. However, his performances since donning the Predators have raised doubts about whether he is the right player to replace Gerrard in the midfield for Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp has dissociated himself from the pressure of moving the defender to a more central role for England, even though Gareth Southgate isn’t hesitant to do so.

Although Alexander-Arnold once declared he “didn’t understand” why he would “make the best right-back in the world a midfielder,” it has long been evident that Alexander-Arnold excels in аttаck rather than defense.

During the weekend, he was compared to Gerrard on Match of the Day and called the “heartbeat” of Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0. Maybe it’s time for the Reds manager to reconsider?

Trent was the driving force behind Liverpool’s victory over Fulham in a tҺrilling seven-goal thriller that followed the draw with City.

In addition to starting the scoring with a world-class free kιck that even Beckham would have been proud of, the Reds star insisted he was claiming the goal, and it was his decision to shift Alexander-Arnold into a more central role in the second half that allowed the team to turn the game around and earn three points for the team.

In order to give Alexander-Arnold the creative freedom he so desperately needs, Joe Gomez was brought in to play right-back. He immediately brought to mind Steven Gerrard by hitting a winner from the edge of the box in the 88th minute.

He scored two of the game’s four spectacular long-range goals, albeit unofficially, and he wasn’t done there either, as in their next game, a 2-0 victory over Sheffield United was secured thanks to a sly assist from him for Virgil van Dijk’s first goal.

It’s safe to sаy that the choice to give the playmaker a rumored £26 million to become an adidas athlete is already paying off after three games in his preferred boot, three goals, one assist, and numerous cries for him to be permanently moved to a midfield role.

The Liverpool vice captain now ranks among football’s highest-paid players, alongside Neymar, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Erling Haaland, thanks to his multi-year contract with the German sportswear giants. He also has a brand-new, all-red version to showcase the colors of his team.

Alexander-Arnold is back in the boots he worn during his Liverpool academy days, when he aspired to emulate Gerrard, following a long-standing connection with Under Armour.

“I always made sure to wear those boots when I had the ball at my feet,” he declared in his heartwarming trailer, which starred a young actor portraying Trent in a boy’s role.

“What really inspired me at the time was Istanbul.” The players, the game, and the boots. My purse never held those footwear. I suppose I’ve always known I’ll return eventually.

Once just a young man from Liverpool, he now pursues his dreams of becoming a professional athlete.

His success in this hybrid role is evidence that Klopp’s team has evolved. Because of their revamped midfield, Liverpool is playing down the middle of the pitch more frequently and is no longer dependent on their full-backs to provide from wide positions.

They possess a wealth of skill in that area. Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, who were acquired in the summer, provide attacking flair, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo provide defensive consistency, while Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones actively pursue opportunities.

But when he settles into that ideal spot in the middle of the field, Trent might provide the most cutting edge in the closing third. Give him enough room in and around the box, and opponents will be forced to deal with him—whether it’s by making a really accurate pass or by finding the net on his own.

Presumably, Klopp should start looking for a new right-back now that Predators were designed with midfielders in mind.