Trent Alexander Arnold and Virgil Van Dijk
New contract signed and fitness regained, Trent Alexander-Arnold doesn’t even pause for breath when asked what Liverpool’s target is for the forthcoming season.
Trent Alexander Arnold said: “Trophies. It’s no longer top four or doing well in Europe and getting to quarters and semis. You want to be in a title run coming into May, we want to be in the Champions League final and domestic cup finals. We will be fighting on all fronts to win as many trophies as we can.”
Ending last season empty-handed has served only to intensify the burning desire among Jurgen Klopp’s side to make amends for a difficult defence of the Premier League title. While Manchester City paraded the championship they snatched from the Reds’ grasp, Liverpool’s lap of appreciation in front of 10,000 at Anfield on the final day of the campaign was more in relief than delight having secured third place and Champions League qualification. Indeed, a top-four berth looked unlikely before a concluding 10-game unbeaten run – in which Alexander-Arnold was outstanding – saw them nudge ahead of Chelsea and Leicester City. Now the right-back, who has extended his Anfield commitment to 2025 by penning an improved deal, believes the Reds can harness the frustration and disappointment of last term.
Trent Alexander Arnold said: “Not having anything to celebrate at the end of last season was a tough one to take,” he says. “Hopefully it will motivate us to get our hands on more silverware. The two previous seasons we had silverware and were on top of the world, Premier League champions, we had everything under our belt. Then to be brought back down to Earth last season with a lot of road bumps in the way… To overcome them, it felt like a little bit of an achievement to secure top four given the way it was looking at certain points in the season.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold, adds: “In March we were in a difficult position and quite a bit down the table but were able to fight back and pick up wins and ground out wins with last-minute winners. It epitomised the club’s sprit and us as lads. But all of us were still disappointed with how the season went. We wanted to win things and defend the Premier League title better than we did. Now we need to focus on what’s coming next season. We have that hunger back in our bellies to win things.”
For Alexander-Arnold in particular it was a difficult campaign, contracting coronavirus, injuring his calf, suffering a loss of form and then, having found his stride in impressive fashion during the closing weeks, forced to miss out on England’s Euro 2020 tilt with a thigh problem. It has all been part of the learning curve for the Academy graduate who made his first-team debut less than five years ago and, remarkably for a player with 179 appearances, is still only 22. Despite his tender years, the right-back is now one of the established faces in the Liverpool squad. And having been highlighted by assistant manager Pep Lijnders as a potential future captain, Alexander-Arnold believes he is ready to take the next step in his progression.
Trent Alexander Arnold said: “It’s about leading the team in certain ways, being more of a leader on and off the pitch and helping the younger players. Establishing myself in those kind of roles as a leader is something I have my eye on. I have been in and around the lads long enough now to not see myself as a young player. I’m a mature lad and someone who can fulfil those roles, and being a captain without necessarily having the armband is something I’ve always wanted to be. I have been around some amazing leaders, Hendo (Jordan Henderson) and Millie (James Milner) are up there with the best. They are all different leaders in their own way, some by actions, some by words. It’s important to find out who you are and don’t try to be something you are not and lead in the way that’s best to help the team.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold concludes: “I live the dream every day, really. Being able to represent the club and to be in and around names and players, and obviously managers and staff, that are world class every day is a privilege for me and I’m very fortunate to be in the position I am. More to come? Definitely.”
