TAA makes ‘difficult’ admission after revealing he watches Neville, Carragher debates

Trent Alexander-Arnold Liverpool v Crystal Palace May 2021

Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has revealed that he has a natural buffer to comments made about him by the likes of Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville.

The right-back has had a turbulent season, after two campaigns as one of the world’s best in his position. He started brightly, alongside his Reds colleagues, but faded away after the turn of the year. Indeed, he gave the ball away 37 times against Southampton in January, the most of any player in a Premier League game this season at that point.

After dropping out of the England squad, though, he has shown stellar form in recent weeks to help his side clinch a top-four spot.

Sky Sports pundits Carragher and Neville are two such media figures to have had a subsequent debate on Monday Night Football about whether he should reclaim his international role.

Alexander-Arnold reveals that he watches such programmes, but does not let what people say distract him.

“I don’t actively go looking to find it but yeah it’s been everywhere,” the 22-year-old told The Athletic.

“Everyone has an opinion on stuff like that. It’s there on Monday Night Football or Match of the Day and they are programmes I watch.

“There’s been a lot of talk about me and it’s difficult to hide away from it.

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“But I’d say I’ve got a buffer of reading things and not allowing it to get to me. I can read it or hear it and then just put it to the side.

“It’s not that it upsets me or fires me up in terms of creating a siege mentality.”

Alexander-Arnold scored a dramatic winner against Aston Villa, one result which has proved crucial in Liverpool ending up finishing third.

He also assisted four other goals in the final nine games and looks back to his best under Jurgen Klopp.

Klopp praises Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold

Alexander.Arnold.Liverpool.TEAMtalk-1

Speaking earlier this month after Alexander-Arnold assisted goalkeeper Alisson Becker for the stunning winner against West Brom, Klopp piled the praise on the right-back.

He said: “This was a world-class corner from Trent, not the first or last. [Nat] Phillips could have scored, Sadio [Mane] was in position too.

“We shouldn’t take that for granted. World-class players in decisive moments can deliver an average set-piece because of pressure. His corner made it.”

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