Trent Alexander-Arnold has revealed that he’s modelling his recreation on two Manchester Metropolis stars as he continues adapting to his new hybrid function at Liverpool.
Because the again finish of final season, 25-year-old has been deployed able that see him mix each right-back and midfield duties.
The Reds’ type has been vastly improved since that tweak, with Alexander-Arnold’s capability to constantly dictate play from central areas a key issue.
However the younger Scouser insists he’s nonetheless studying, and is trying to a Premier League rival and legends of the previous as he does that.
Requested to call his inspirations, he stated: “I believe as somebody who performs the inverted, hybrid function – I don’t know what individuals name it nowadays – then it’s clearly John Stones.
“He’s somebody who, for very long time, I’ve admired his recreation, he’s distinctive, so I watch him loads. Clips and even when I’m simply watching Metropolis’s video games, I’ll sit and give attention to him.
“I’ve all the time admired him, I do admire the way in which Rodri performs.
“He’s pivotal in that workforce and somebody who’s massively underrated, however like now we have seen just lately while you take him out of the workforce, they aren’t the identical. That simply reveals how necessary he’s.
“I might say it’s these sorts of gamers I watch, however there are loads. I’ll watch gamers from the previous as nicely – Busquets, Alonso, Pirlo, Stevie G, these gamers I’ve all the time loved watching.”
Alexander-Arnold’s identify was featured among the many midfielders when the newest England squad was confirmed late final week.
And he has revealed that Gareth Southgate now views him as an choice within the engine room, fairly than the again 4.
He added: “The conversations I’ve had with [Southgate] and the workers there, I’m going there as a midfielder, I practice there and that’s the place I try to play on the pitch, barring the Australia recreation final time.
“It actually does assist me in that sense, I’m not taking part in midfield week in, week out right here, however I get on the ball in central areas and realizing methods to obtain and conduct your self and play a recreation in midfield is loads totally different to in conjunction with the pitch.”
Jurgen Klopp took the bizarre step of utilizing Alexander-Arnold as an out-and-out No. 6 within the closing phases of Liverpool’s latest League Cup win over Bournemouth.
However he’s adamant there are main variations between taking part in in that place and the blended function he usually occupies.
He continued: “For me, it has all the time been about taking part in with freedom to get on the ball and try to create and make issues occur, progress us up the pitch.
“I believe it’s similar, however it’s about taking part in these passes from extra of a central space and a extra set in stone midfield space.
“It offers me alternatives to create for the workforce and make issues occur and win us video games basically and that’s all I’m attempting to do on the market.
“After I are available as a right-back, there’s nonetheless Endo or Macca there, Fabinho final season, their job and their function is to remain because the No. 6. It doesn’t waver.
“My job is the one who is available in and nonetheless has the liberty to underlap Mo or overlap him, get into the field, shoot or cross.
“Whereas as a No. 6 it’s extra inflexible, you’re a defensive midfielder and it’s your function together with the 2 centre-backs to make sure that when the ball pops out of the field, it doesn’t go into the striker’s ft and so they can construct from there.
“That’s in all probability the principle one, the remaining is positionally getting used to the place to be and a variety of it is vitally instinctive and attempting to learn the sport earlier than it occurs and put myself in the proper place.”
