Kyle Walker says he has never seen anyone pass the ball like one Liverpool player, insisting that he has improved so much in the last few years.
Of course, no team has been a greater rival to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City than Liverpool. The Reds have won one league title, and have been agonisingly close to winning a couple more.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have had several absolutely incredible players in their ranks over the year. Mohamed Salah is undoubtedly one of the greatest the Premier League has had. Meanwhile Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk are unquestionably amongst the best the league has had in their respective positions.
Kyle Walker amazed by how much Liverpool star has improved
But another superstar in the Liverpool side is Trent Alexander-Arnold. The 25-year-old has played his part in the full-back role being redefined in recent years.
Remarkably, Alexander-Arnold has been directly involved in exactly 100 goals in 302 appearances for the Reds in all competitions.
Another outstanding right-back in the same era has been Kyle Walker. And speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s YouTube channel, the Manchester City star shared what he finds so impressive about his Liverpool counterpart.
“Trent is a quarterback at right-back. I’ve never seen anyone pass the ball like it. Left, right foot, snow on it when it needs to have snow on it, or ping straight to the chest,” he said.
“The way Liverpool play where it’s very transitional, German manager, it’s a process to get up to the goal [for us], but Liverpool are very direct with their football. I’m not saying it’s a long ball team. But when you’ve got Salah on the right-hand side and you’re whipping that ball down his right-hand side, that’s what Trent’s very, very good at.
“I think people come at him for defending. But people can come at me for my crossing. Let’s just say that. I don’t think anyone’s going to really have the finished article. I think he’s improved massively on his defending, I think it comes with age as well.”
Reds getting the very best out of Trent Alexander-Arnold
It does appear that something has clicked for Alexander-Arnold over the last couple of years. He has been given more freedom to focus on what impact he can make further up the pitch.
He has contributed 10 assists in all competitions this season.
It makes sense to try and play to his strengths. Yes, he is not as good defensively as Walker or Ben White at Arsenal. But he more than makes up for it at the other end of the pitch.
As Walker notes, there are few better at passing the ball and making things happen in the final third.