27 November 2023 , 06:51
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Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk believes Trent Alexander-Arnold has proved he has it all after thriving in a new hybrid role this season.
Alexander-Arnold, 25, has been used as a central midfielder by England, including during the recent international break, but broke through at Liverpool as a right-back. His creativity remains one of the strongest elements of his game and Jurgen Klopp has given him a license to get forward by tweaking his system to allow him to step into midfield in possession.
The Reds academy graduate has been questioned defensively in the past and endured a difficult afternoon against Manchester City's Jeremy Doku at the weekend - but he persevered and scored Liverpool's equalising goal at the Etihad.
And Van Dijk stressed after the match that, in his eyes, Alexander-Arnold underlined once again why he is the complete package. The Dutchman said: “I think everyone this season, as a defender, one v one against Doku will have a tough afternoon. He’s a very good dribbler. But I don’t think he had a tough afternoon on the whole.
“It’s how you defend them together and try to get two v one in situations and, in the end, I’m pleased for him that he got the equaliser.
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“He offers a lot defensively and, obviously in possession, he has qualities that are very special and he shows that as well, so he has the complete package. He has to keep doing what he’s doing, keep improving, keep that high standard he has for himself and we all have for him as well.”
There has been plenty of debate over Alexander-Arnold's best position; people have urged Klopp to utilise him in midfield on numerous occasions before the German tweaked his role this year. Alexander-Arnold will now seemingly stay in the engine room for his country after failing to nail down the right-back berth.
Join the debate! Where does Alexander-Arnold's future lie: at right-back or midfield? Let us know here.
Alexander-Arnold's late strike earned Liverpool a draw against Manchester City at the weekend (Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)When he was asked what area of the pitch he felt Alexander-Arnold's future may lie, Van Dijk stressed that was a decision for others to make. He added: “I don’t know, that’s for the coaches that work with him.
“I think for the moment he’s playing just fine where he is right now. He has that freedom to mix it up and he has to do that because you see teams are working it out at times, so he has to be able to switch from staying on the outside and going on the inside as well.
“I think it’s a good learning curve for him as well and (on Saturday) he did that well because obviously he was playing against one of the most in-form wingers at the moment.”