Jurgen Klopp insisted he was not intending to prompt "another funny discussion" about Trent Alexander-Arnold after Liverpool's win at Arsenal but could not resist highlighting the right-back's performance.
Klopp had discussed Alexander-Arnold's absence from Gareth Southgate's England squad at length ahead of Saturday's match.
The Reds manager defended the performances of the 22-year-old, who had provided a relatively underwhelming five assists in all competitions this season heading into the weekend - down from 15 in each of his previous two campaigns.
Indeed, Klopp said Alexander-Arnold's form "cannot be the reason" for his England snub and described him as "the standout right-back in world football".
The 12-cap Three Lions star responded to his club boss's backing in impressive fashion at Emirates Stadium, adding a sixth assist of the campaign in a 3-0 win.
Alexander-Arnold created a game-high four chances, including the cross for Diogo Jota's opener.
And discussing Liverpool's improvement after introducing Jota from the bench, Klopp turned the conversation to his defender.
He told Sky Sports: "We scored these wonderful goals - and Trent Alexander-Arnold showed his class... again."
But Klopp added: "Look, I don't want to make another funny discussion about Trent - it's not like that.
"I said it: it's Gareth's decision. And he's pretty much blessed with the choice he has in that position especially.
"But Trent is in a good shape, and if somebody says he's not, I have to say that's wrong. That's all.
"Apart from that, Gareth makes his decisions and I do not. I'm not responsible for his decisions."
Alexander-Arnold shared the spotlight with Jota, who netted just over three minutes after arriving as a substitute and later completed the scoring following Mohamed Salah's strike.
That second-half flurry gave Liverpool their biggest ever away league win at Arsenal and moved Klopp's side to within two points of Chelsea in the top four.
"Great, great," Klopp said. "We don't look at Chelsea or whatever or West Ham or Leicester - I don't know who's around there - because we have to win our own games.
"But in our situation, other teams have to lose games as well. We cannot do it ourselves. We don't play Chelsea any more, we don't play Leicester any more, and all these kind of things.
"We have enough games. We have a tough programme. We don't have to start dreaming, we have to keep working and that's what we do.
"But it's a nice sign. We are still there. Even in the games we lost some, we were not bad, but tonight the package was extremely good. That's what you need."
Jota has a Premier League-high four goals from the bench this season and four career strikes against Arsenal in the competition, a personal best.
The Portugal forward scores more often than any other player in the entire division, his eight goals arriving every 91.3 minutes on average.
Although Arsenal were level until Jota's intervention, the hosts were poor and Liverpool's two-goal star was surprised by their passive approach, the visitors having over 64 per cent of the ball.
"To be honest, I was expecting a bit more possession from the Arsenal team," he said. "They're used to that.
"But that showed that we pressed really well, that we didn't allow them to have that possession. In the end, we controlled the game with the ball and with the goals."
Dyche focused on Everton survival fight after Premier League allege FFP breach
Everton manager Sean Dyche is focused on the club's fight to avoid relegation after the Toffees were referred to an independent commission over an alleged breach of the Premier League's financial rules.
Last week, the Premier League alleged Everton had broken the competition's profitability and sustainability rules during the 2021-22 season, which they finished in 16th place.
Everton ended last season four points clear of the relegation zone, but the Merseyside club have found themselves embroiled in another battle to stay in the top flight this term.
With reports suggesting Everton could face a point deduction, a club statement said the Toffees were "prepared to robustly defend" their position.
Asked about the alleged breach on Thursday, Dyche said: "There is no situation at the moment. The club's statement covers everything. I'm happy to go along with that.
"I'm more focused on what's going on on the pitch, obviously. The club have assured me the statement is correct and the rest of it will come down to the powers that be to do what they have to do.
"At the minute, we are really focusing on what is going on now. Of course there are background views on the future but I'm working with the squad now, working to get more points and to make sure we get what we all want, which is to be in the Premier League."
Everton sit two points above the bottom three ahead of Monday's meeting with Tottenham at Goodison Park, having salvaged a 2-2 draw at Chelsea prior to the international break.
Dyche also confirmed striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin is "back out on the grass" and progressing well from injury, but he not yet ready to participate in full sessions.
Which three get your vote? Ferdinand, Toure, Neville, Terry and Fowler among 15 Premier League Hall of Fame nominees
Rio Ferdinand was "delighted" to be named among 15 nominees for the Premier League Hall of Fame.
Introduced in 2021, the Hall of Fame has inducted eight players in each of the past two years, adding managerial greats Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger on Wednesday.
Voting for the latest round of player inductees has begun, with greats nominated from across the last 30 years of the Premier League.
The 2023 class of inductees is dominated by defenders, including former Arsenal captain Tony Adams, ex-Chelsea skipper John Terry and Manchester United stalwarts Ferdinand and Gary Neville.
Former Chelsea and Arsenal duo Petr Cech and Ashley Cole are also nominated, along with ex-United defender Nemanja Vidic.
Midfielders Michael Carrick and Yaya Toure represent both sides of Manchester, with strikers Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen completing the list.
Ferdinand wrote on Twitter: "Delighted to be nominated again on the #PLHallOfFame. Few decent CBs [centre-backs] listed on the nominees."
The former England captain will be hoping it is third time lucky, having also been among the nominees in 2021 and 2022.
Fans can vote for three players they believe should be inducted, with voting open until 6pm BST on Monday, April 10.
Only three players will take their place among the greats this time around.
The shortlist has been reduced from 25 names previously to 15 and players are only eligible if their retirement was confirmed before 1 January 2023.
In order to be eligible, players must have made at least 250 Premier League appearances or made 200 league appearances for a single club, been selected in any Team of the Decade or 20-year Anniversary teams, won a Golden Boot or Golden Glove, been voted Player of the Season, won three titles or scored 100 goals or registered 100 clean sheets.
2023 nominees: Tony Adams, Sol Campbell, Michael Carrick, Petr Cech, Andy Cole, Ashley Cole, Jermain Defoe, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Gary Neville, Michael Owen, John Terry, Yaya Toure, Nemanja Vidic.
Clippers star Westbrook makes the Grizzlies pay as Lakers look for revenge
The Los Angeles Clippers had Russell Westbrook in history-making form as they overcame the Memphis Grizzlies 141-132 on Wednesday.
Westbrook finished with a season-high 36 points and laid on 10 assists in the victory, which snapped Memphis' seven-game winning streak.
In the process, Westbrook became the first player in NBA history to have a 30-point and 10-assist game with five teams, having achieved the feat with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Houston Rockets, the Washington Wizards, the Los Angeles Lakers and now the Clippers.
The sides will meet again in Memphis on Friday, with the Clippers having pulled away down the stretch on this occasion.
"Just being composed, as a point guard, I was taught the last five or six minutes of the game were very important," Westbrook said of the fourth quarter.
"Getting stops, getting good shots. We did a good job of executing down the stretch."
Westbrook's team-mate Robert Covington had a season-best 27 points, and he anticipates a tough run-in with plenty of teams in the playoff picture in the Western Conference.
"It's going to be tight," said Covington. "The West from four through 12 or 13 is like a three-game gap, something like that?
"Anything can happen. That's why these last five or six games for us are very important."
Another team pushing for a postseason place are the Clippers' city rivals the Lakers, who beat the Chicago Bulls 121-110.
Anthony Davis starred with 38 points and 10 rebounds, and believes the Lakers – eighth in the West – have what it takes to go on a deep run.
He said: "I think we've got everything we need. It's just about going out and applying it. We can definitely make a run. We've got all the right pieces from top to bottom.
"We owe this [Chicago] team. We owe Houston. We owe Minnesota. All these teams. Utah.
"So all these teams on this trip are teams that we lost to recently, and we want to get some get-back. And seeing as the situation that we're in, we need to win these games.
"So this is a time when we shouldn't shy away from the moment. We should embrace it and these are the moments that you live for as a player."
Davis' display garnered appreciation from coach Darvin Ham and superstar team-mate LeBron James.
"It all starts with A, man," Ham said, referring to Davis. "Him just playing with force, him not settling, putting pressure on the defense to foul, him just loving and living in the paint."
James added: "He always plays like that. Just got to kick him in the a** every now and then. But he always plays like that so I never worry about him."
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