Former Liverpool defender and club hero Glen Johnson has showered praise on Trent Alexander-Arnold, saying he has been one of the stand-out players for the Reds this season.
The 21-year-old has continued his good form from last season, and has been outstanding in 2019-20 for the Reds, scoring two goals and providing nine assists in all competitions thus far.
His meteoric rise has been applauded by popular football pundits, with former England striker Gary Linekar frequently showering heaps of praise on the youngster on Twitter.
Johnson says that it is hard to believe what the youngster does on the pitch at such an age, but at the same time feels that he is ‘very lucky’ to have someone like Virgil van Dijk alongside him in defence.
“It’s hard not to be impressed by what Trent Alexander-Arnold is doing for Liverpool. Obviously the team is doing very well at the moment, but he’s been one of their standout players and it’s still hard to think he’s just 21-years-old,” Johnson spoke to BETDAQ (h/t TalkSport).
“Trent is very lucky in the fact that he has Virgil Van Dijk alongside him in the Liverpool defence and he’ll be learning from him every day.
“Playing with Van Dijk will give him so much confidence and that’s why we see him making such unbelievable passes or going on those long attacking runs.
“If he gets caught out, he knows Van Dijk will be in there helping out behind and it’s probably the reason why Alexander-Arnold feels so comfortable being as attacking as he is.”
Importance of Van Dijk
The Dutchman has transformed Liverpool’s defence since his big-money move from Southampton. He commands respect from other teammates with his performances and helps the full-backs to play with more authority.
Certainly, Trent, who is on £40k-per-week wages at Liverpool, has reaped the benefit of having someone like Van Dijk alongside him in defence. Being an attacking-minded right-back, the youngster has often made lapses in defence, but the presence of Van Dijk and others in defence has allowed him to play with freedom.
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