by Liverpool’s last meeting with Arsenal had a major impact on the fate of the title last year. That same day could also define this season’s race.
If Jürgen Klopp wins a second Premier League title in May, his side’s rapid improvement will be traced back to Arsenal’s trip to Anfield in April and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s ‘reorganisation’.
After a turbulent season that ended with a comprehensive victory by Real Madrid in the Champions League and a hammering of Manchester City at the Etihad, Klopp and his coaching staff redesigned Liverpool’s formation and the overhaul began with an Alexander-Arnold hybrid role, switching between back right. and midfield.
The 2-2 draw with Arsenal was the first time Alexander-Arnold had license to roam. Liverpool went 10 games unbeaten for the rest of the season and lost just once in 17 games of the current campaign.
Alexander-Arnold remembers receiving his new instructions enthusiastically, his days as an ‘orthodox’ goalkeeper – if there was such a thing – well and truly.
“First, when the manager and Pep Lijnders [assistant coach] talked to me about it in the week before the game, which I was excited about,” recalls Alexander-Arnold.
“Obviously I had seen other teams do it and then when I was asked to do it I thought it would challenge me. I really enjoyed it and the team adapted to it. A lot of focus goes on for me and it’s kind of painted because the system is about me and I’m the biggest change just because I’m moving there.
“But, technically, everyone moves around. The three backs move around, you have the midfield, the two 8s then push up and the wings kind of drop a little deeper so that everyone moves. Everyone has adapted well.
“We’ve made a lot of changes but the system is working and you can see that even when I’m not in the team as well. When I was injured for a while in September we still carried on doing it with Joe [Gomez] and Conor Bradley can do it very well as we saw in pre-season before he got injured. It’s more about a system than who plays in it.”
Alexander-Arnold admits it is not a unique tactic as Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta have used their goals in the same way.
But the 25-year-old has tried to put his own spin on the position as he did as a majestic right-back who was more like a winger.
“I study the game anyway. I like to think that I watch a lot of football, I watch a lot of games and I see different systems and different players play and how they interpret it and what they are asked to do,” he says.
“But the main thing for me was trying to do what they wanted and how I could get the best out of me and the team. That is my aim no matter where I am asked to play and how I am asked to play.
“It has changed and evolved over time. Some games you’ll see that I’m not in the middle as much, some games I’m there all the time.
“We have great analysts and coaches and a great manager who gives us information about where the space might be and where I can go on the ball.”
Alexander-Arnold cites examples of being marked by the individual and that he understands that he has to improvise within games.
“Thinking back to the Villa game in September, when we won 3-0 and I was injured [later in the match] – in that game I was very deep and I came straight out of the block and I was in the back line and getting the ball,” he says.
“They couldn’t put too much pressure on me and I was able to find balls behind him. So we were somewhat happy. You can see from how well they are doing in the league how hard it is to break them down. We were able to do that and that was according to the instructions I was given to come out of the block because they’re going to make it really close in there it’s going to be hard to get on the ball and spin and be able to play. There are different ways to influence teams.
“You can go through them around them or over them and against Villa he was going over them. That’s an example of when I was asked to do something different and we adapted differently.”
Arteta must have a plan to unseat Alexander-Arnold, knowing he is Liverpool’s creative hub. The battle for influence with Declan Rice will determine the balance of the fixture.
In the first 27 league games of last season – before Arsenal’s visit – Alexander-Arnold provided just three assists, scored one goal and created an average of 2.1 chances per game. In his 24 Premier League appearances since, those numbers have increased significantly – trebled in some cases – and he is No.1 on the Opta list for possession won; a complete midfielder starting at right back.
He agrees that the move brought a new dimension to Liverpool, and gave him a new lease of life.
“As a team we have shown incredible consistency, winning games in different ways. He’s had a positive impact on all of us, especially me, and I’m sure he’ll evolve and adapt over time,” he said.
“We just have to keep it going. This weekend is amazing.”
