It's all in the timing, the control of the ball and the precision swing. Like a glorious golf shot, the perfect cross in football is beyond many players, but Trent Alexander-Arnold strikes the football with such pace, whip and dip that it's no wonder he celebrated Liverpool's opener against Arsenal as though he had headed the ball into the goal himself.
It's The Masters next week at Augusta.
This Emirates Stadium clash was a reminder of last season's Premier League masters in full flow, or at least that was the case for the final half an hour, because the first 60 minutes was so drab the tape should be wiped forthwith and we'll never discuss it again. Arsenal's players, thumped 3-0, would want the whole game deleted from memory, given they were abject from first whistle to last.
Alexander-Arnold had been lively enough before the breakthrough came, and James Milner owed him a better finish from the precise cutback that reached the veteran Liverpool midfielder in the 35th minute. Milner shot wide of the left post.
But in a game between two sides whose seasons have fallen well short of expectations, it was a flash of wonder that reminded the visitors how they became champions with 99 points last term. Gareth Southgate dropped Alexander-Arnold from his England squad a fortnight ago, so this will inevitably be interpreted as some sort of response.
But really it was just Alexander-Arnold doing Alexander-Arnold things. He makes chances and he makes goals, handy attributes for a right-back. And when there is very little actual defending to be done, as was the case against a dreadful Arsenal side, Alexander-Arnold is a world beater.
Diogo Jota, the player on the end of that game-changing cross on Saturday, later described the delivery as "unreal". Jurgen Klopp, who was stunned by the full-back's international omission, said that he "showed his class again".
When all is not going to plan for the 22-year-old, possessing strong defensive cover can paper over his weaknesses, and with Liverpool having hit upon an injury crisis at the back this season, Alexander-Arnold has been unable to count on Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip or Joe Gomez getting him out of trouble.
So the impact of his handful of errors has been magnified, and the scrutiny reached its apex when Southgate decided he should miss those opening World Cup qualifiers.
Since the beginning of last season, Alexander-Arnold has created 172 chances across all club competitions and had 21 assists. On each count, those are the highest number among defenders in Europe's top five leagues. In the same period, he has made four errors that have led to shots and two that have cost Liverpool goals. Some would accept that ratio.
Gary Lineker, who knows a thing or two about being on the end of crosses for England, believes Southgate got it wrong in dropping Alexander-Arnold.
"The perfect response from @TrentAA to his bizarre omission from the @England squad," Lineker wrote on Twitter on Saturday night. "He's been brilliant tonight. Can't be left at home in the summer. Just can't be."
The Euro 2020 finals surely do beckon for Alexander-Arnold, with England's group rivals Croatia, Czech Republic and Scotland certain to be delighted if he stays at home.
Jota gave Alexander-Arnold a target after coming off the bench just after the hour mark, and the sublime cross from the right that found the striker on the edge of the six-yard box was a striker's dream.
Liverpool are still chasing fourth place, with Chelsea's defeat to West Brom earlier in the day a major boon to the Reds.
Mohamed Salah and Jota, with his second, finished off a lousy Arsenal who had just three goal attempts across the 90 minutes, and Mikel Arteta's men can now be counted out of the race for Champions League places.
Gary Neville, commentating for Sky Sports, condemned a "real flaky performance" by Arsenal, adding: "It's the worst I've seen them for a bit."
Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Nicolas Pepe and Martin Odegaard all started for the hosts, and Pepe was the only one of the quartet to manage a shot.
Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp said Arsenal's display was "putrid", and Arteta would probably agree. This was their heaviest defeat at home against Liverpool in the league.
On the day Liverpool's reign as Premier League champions effectively ended – they cannot possibly catch Manchester City now this season – this was a reminder of how Klopp's men can roll over feeble opposition.
On they go now, to face Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday. The Spanish champions will know all about Alexander-Arnold, who would have made a phenomenal complement to Roberto Carlos back in the day. Now they simply have to stop him.
Ratcliffe will not pay 'stupid prices' for Man Utd as bid deadline looms
British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe insists he will not pay "stupid prices" for Manchester United as the latest bid deadline looms.
Incumbent owners, the Glazer family, tentatively put United up for sale in November and Ratcliffe was the first suitor to formally register an interest through his London-based chemicals company INEOS.
He was subsequently among the parties to submit initial bids ahead of a 'soft deadline' in February, with Ratcliffe and Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani thought to be the two frontrunners.
While the exact value of the bids is unclear, the Glazers are reportedly looking for at least $7.2billion (£5.9billion) if they are to sell, which would be a new world-record fee for a sports team. The club was valued at $4.8billion (£4billion) by Forbes last year.
Recent reports suggested the bidders are increasingly confident the Glazers will approve a sale, with Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim expected to submit formal offers this week.
But Ratcliffe has given the clearest indication yet that he will not pay over the odds.
Speaking about the process to the Wall Street Journal, Ratcliffe said: "How do you decide the price of a painting? How do you decide the price of a house?
"It's not related to how much it cost to build or how much it cost to paint.
"What you don't want to do is pay stupid prices for things because then you regret it subsequently."
The second deadline for offers is apparently set for Wednesday, with Sky Sports claiming there could be as many as eight official bids.
Ratcliffe, a life-long United fan, was spotted at Old Trafford last Friday following a meeting with club officials.
Associates of Sheikh Jassim are said to have been in Manchester the day before, though he himself was not in attendance.
Mitrovic charged as FA deems standard punishment 'clearly insufficient' after pushing referee
Aleksandar Mitrovic looks set for a lengthy ban after the Football Association (FA) claimed a "standard punishment" would be "clearly insufficient" after pushing the referee during Fulham's 3-1 FA Cup defeat to Manchester United.
Mitrovic reacted aggressively after referee Chris Kavanagh awarded United a penalty for Willian preventing a likely Jadon Sancho goal with his hand when Fulham were 1-0 up.
Kavanagh was in the process of showing Willian a red card when Mitrovic approached him, with the Serbian shoving the official and getting in his face.
A straight red would ordinarily lead to a three-match ban, but it would appear the FA will attempt to suspend him for longer.
Fulham head coach Marco Silva was also sent off while play was paused following Willian's handball, and he could be in line for a significant ban as well.
An FA statement read: "Fulham, Marco Silva and Aleksandar Mitrovic have been charged following the incidents that took place in or around the 72nd minute of their tie against Manchester United in the FA Cup on Sunday, March 19.
"It's alleged that Marco Silva used abusive and/or insulting words and/or gestures and/or behaviour towards the match referee; that he used abusive and/or insulting words towards the fourth official prior to his dismissal; and that he also used abusive and/or insulting words and/or gestures and/or behaviour towards the fourth official after being sent off.
"It's further alleged that in throwing a water bottle in the direction of the assistant referee his behaviour was improper.
"The FA has claimed that the standard punishment which would otherwise apply to Aleksandar Mitrovic for the sending off offence of violent conduct that he committed towards the match referee is clearly insufficient.
"In addition, Aleksandar Mitrovic's behaviour and/or language was allegedly improper and/or abusive and/or insulting and/or threatening following his dismissal.
"It's also alleged that Fulham failed to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion."
Texans sign Schultz and Singletary
The Houston Texans are still over a month away from picking their quarterback of the future, but they are continuing to build around him.
On Monday, the Texans added a starting tight end to their roster, signing Dalton Schultz to a one-year deal worth up to $9million, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
Schultz did not have the market he might have anticipated after his contract with the Dallas Cowboys expired, but he will have the chance to cash in next offseason if he can thrive in Houston playing with the quarterback whom the Texans will almost certainly select with the second overall pick in the NFL Draft.
Last season, Schultz finished with 577 receiving yards and five touchdowns, having racked up 808 yards and eight touchdowns in 2021.
His 13 receiving touchdowns over the last two seasons rank fifth among tight ends.
Houston also added to their backfield, signing former Buffalo Bills running back Devin Singletary.
Singletary is unlikely to be the starter following the emergence of Dameon Pierce, who had 939 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground as a rookie.
Also arriving on a one-year deal, according to multiple reports, Singletary gives the Texans versatile depth at running back.
He has produced over 1,000 yards from scrimmage in each of the last two seasons. In 2022, he finished with 819 yards rushing and five touchdowns, as well as 280 yards receiving and a further touchdown through the air.
Singletary has 2,197 scrimmage yards since 2021, putting him 20th among running backs across that span.
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