EPL

Alexander-Arnold pinpoints Tottenham fixture to revive Liverpool season

By Sports Desk October 30, 2022

Trent Alexander-Arnold says Liverpool must "get some points" at Tottenham to get their "aims and aspirations" back on track.

Jurgen Klopp's side are ninth in the Premier League and could fall 15 points behind Arsenal, who play Nottingham Forest on Sunday as the Gunners aim to return to the top-flight summit.

Liverpool have suffered consecutive domestic defeats against strugglers Forest and Leeds United, the latter of which on Saturday ended a 29-match home unbeaten run for the Reds in the Premier League.

Klopp's team may take some consolation after reaching the Champions League knockout stages, though Alexander-Arnold urged his side to improve in the league at Tottenham next Sunday.

"I'd say we all believe in ourselves, we believe in the way we play, the squad and what we can achieve," the right-back told the club's website.

"But I think when you do get setbacks, it can potentially make you second-guess yourself and question things.

"Clearly as a team something's not going right, it's not going as well as we want it to go. That's something for everyone to think about, for everyone to address and make sure we put it right, especially next week against Spurs, top-four rivals.

"We kind of need to go there and get some points if we've got any chance of reaching our aims and aspirations for the season."

While Liverpool's title hopes are virtually over, with Manchester City and Arsenal embroiled in a two-horse race thus far, the Reds are also eight points away from the Champions League qualification places.

The England international acknowledged Liverpool have been far from their best this season, pinpointing the Reds' failures in front of goal, a notable problem in the 2-1 defeat to Leeds last time out.

"I think we are not in the greatest run of form – I think a lot of players would say that about themselves and as a team in general," he added.

"But we're still creating opportunities to score and win games. We just haven't been able to take them, especially [in the] last two Premier League games.

"I think it's important for us to regroup, assess what's going wrong. I think right now, it's kind of, 'pick up as many points as you can now going into this break [for the World Cup].

"And potentially this break will come at a decent time for us to reset and be able to get our heads straight to go into the second half of the season."

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    Trent Alexander-Arnold says he owes everything to Jurgen Klopp and believes the Liverpool manager’s impending departure could feed into the title-race drama.

    Reigning champions Manchester City sit top of the Premier League pile with six matches remaining after second-placed Arsenal and the third-spotted Reds suffered shock defeats on Sunday.

    Liverpool’s 1-0 home loss to Crystal Palace compounded Thursday’s 3-0 Europa League quarter-final defeat at the hands of Atalanta in what could prove Klopp’s final European night at Anfield.

    Alexander-Arnold made his return from two months out with a knee injury in the Eagles encounter and expects more “twists and turns” as the popular German’s final season in charge comes to an end.

    “I think experience is a massive part of it,” the Liverpool academy product told The Overlap podcast.

    “Obviously the other two teams will have experience from last season. They had their own title race within themselves.”

    Asked if Klopp leaving and the emotion around gives Liverpool an edge in the run-in, Alexander-Arnold said: “I think he will feed into that, the further it goes.

    “Let’s say we get into May, the start of May, and it’s still that tight, then he’ll start to feed into how it’s going to look, how it could feel. Up until then, we just need to try and stay (composed).

    “He never says, ‘We’re trying to win the league, we’re going to win the league’.

    “He doesn’t really speak about it. It’s more, ‘We’re going to get the most out of ourselves, we’re going to squeeze every drop of potential’.

    “There will be twists and turns, no matter what.”

    Liverpool are hoping for an almighty change in fortunes at Atalanta on Thursday, when the second leg could see Alexander-Arnold make his first start since February 10.

    Every one of his appearances for his boyhood club have come under Klopp, to whom the homegrown star is eternally grateful.

    “Incredible, really,” Alexander-Arnold said. “I owe everything to him, really, as a player.

    “I was thinking about this recently. The only thing you can ever ask for as a young player is opportunity.

    “All you can do is hope that when you get to 18, 19, you’ve got a manager that’s willing to give you a chance and I was fortunate enough to have that.

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    “Not only that, he put his arm round me and guided me through it, through the ups and downs, the winning of stuff, losing things.

    “Good games, bad games, because your first bad game you think you’re never going to kick a ball again. You think, ‘I’m done’.”

    Alexander-Arnold is expecting it to feel “weird” returning to pre-season without Klopp, although he likes the idea of a “new challenge” under an as yet undetermined new boss.

    The 25-year-old will likely return late to Liverpool given England are among the favourites for Euro 2024, at which Gareth Southgate has a midfield role in mind for him.

    Asked whether he sees himself as a midfielder or a right-back, Alexander-Arnold said: “I’d probably say I still see myself as a right-back.

    “I see myself as someone who can probably play in both positions if needed.

    “But I think my focus, until I’m told otherwise by the gaffer, is that I’m still a right-back.

    “I come inside and I play inside when we have the got ball, but essentially, when you write the team-sheet, I am a right-back.”

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    Erling Haaland (Man City) – 20 goals in 26 appearances

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    Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) – 19 goals in 32 appearances

    Watkins is enjoying his most prolific season in the top flight, already surpassing his 15 goals from last season, while also providing the most assists (10) of those on this list. The 28-year-old’s current goal conversion rate is better than Haaland’s and he will be hoping to feature for England at the Euros.

    Alexander Isak (Newcastle) – 17 goals in 24 appearances

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    Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – 17 goals in 26 appearances

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    Dominic Solanke (Bournemouth) – 17 goals in 32 appearances

    When Solanke struck the opener in last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Manchester United he broke the record for the most Premier League goals scored in a single season by a Bournemouth player. The 26-year-old has produced his best form under Andoni Iraola and could force his way into England’s plans for the Euros.

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    Gareth Southgate must be filled with excitement when he looks at the top 10 scorers in the Premier League this season, with six England players on the list.

    Palmer only made his England debut in November but his astonishing form for Chelsea must surely earn him a spot in the squad for this summer’s Euro 2024.

    Watkins could find himself in a straight shoot-out with Ivan Toney for the spot as back-up striker to Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, while Solanke has just one England cap to his name back in 2017.

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    Cole Palmer (Chelsea) – 20 goals in 28 appearances

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    Erling Haaland (Man City) – 20 goals in 26 appearances

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    Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) – 19 goals in 32 appearances

    Watkins is enjoying his most prolific season in the top flight, already surpassing his 15 goals from last season, while also providing the most assists (10) of those on this list. The 28-year-old’s current goal conversion rate is better than Haaland’s and he will be hoping to feature for England at the Euros.

    Alexander Isak (Newcastle) – 17 goals in 24 appearances

    Isak has more than justified Newcastle’s outlay of around £60million after a thigh injury limited his impact in his first campaign at St James’ Park. The 24-year-old is the first Newcastle player since Alan Shearer in 2003-04 to score 20 goals in a season for the club in all competitions.

    Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – 17 goals in 26 appearances

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    When Solanke struck the opener in last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Manchester United he broke the record for the most Premier League goals scored in a single season by a Bournemouth player. The 26-year-old has produced his best form under Andoni Iraola and could force his way into England’s plans for the Euros.

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    Palmer only made his England debut in November but his astonishing form for Chelsea must surely earn him a spot in the squad for this summer’s Euro 2024.

    Watkins could find himself in a straight shoot-out with Ivan Toney for the spot as back-up striker to Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, while Solanke has just one England cap to his name back in 2017.

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