Liverpool fans all make same Trent Alexander-Arnold point after Kyle Walker caught out again
It was too early in the season for Liverpool to truly know what it wanted from Manchester City vs Arsenal. A draw seems like a good outcome, with both potential rivals dropping two points — but one thing that is beyond doubt is that Reds fans enjoyed another ropey outing for Kyle Walker.
"Hate-watching" has entered the parlance of the modern football supporter, and the Liverpool faithful are always on high alert for mistakes from Walker. It's no real surprise, given that the Manchester City ace has been compared to Trent Alexander-Arnold from more or less the moment the number 66 emerged from the Academy.
A pet favorite of Gareth Southgate for years, Walker effectively boxed Alexander-Arnold out of the England frame, a colossal waste of one of the country's top talents; the 25-year-old has already excelled under new management. More generally, Premier League pundits have constantly honed in on the Liverpool star's defending, holding up his Manchester City counterpart as an example of a player who excels at both ends of the pitch.
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Liverpool supporters can be forgiven, then, for being a little defensive (no pun intended). Their homegrown generational talent has been systematically disrespected, with Walker given something of a free ride.
But Reds fans were not in the mood to let him off the hook for his display against Arsenal. He was at fault for both goals as Pep Guardiola's side went in at the break 2-1 down.
First, Walker was caught napping by a quick free kick. Even his famous recovery pace could not bail him out, and Riccardo Calafiori produced an excellent finish.
But the truly comical defending came on the corner. Walker could be seen repeatedly tapping the chest of Gabriel, presumably feeling to make sure he was still touch-tight to his man — before being utterly despatched as soon as the delivery came in, with the Brazilian finding yards of space to power in a header.
"If Alexander-Arnold did what Walker did on that corner, he'd be absolutely slaughtered by every rival supporter," one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). It's hard to dispute that assessment.
"I personally blame Trent Alexander-Arnold for Kyle Walker being being at fault for both of Arsenal's goals," wrote another. If it wasn't already clear, the eyes emoji gave away the intended tone of that particular post.
The timing could hardly have been better, after Alexander-Arnold recorded his 100th goal contribution over the weekend, notching yet another assist. By comparison, Reece James (another one thrown baselessly into debates with the Liverpool man) has only managed 108 league appearances for Chelsea.
There should be no doubt left at this point that Alexander-Arnold is the best full-back in the country and in the league. With every Walker error, that view is finally becoming more mainstream, and it's hugely satisfying to watch.
Liverpool.com says: Frankly, it should not take Walker mistakes for people to appreciate Alexander-Arnold. He should have been heralded on his own terms long ago.
Nonetheless, it's nice to see him finally getting his flowers. It does also throw the contract situation into sharper relief.
It won't be news to Liverpool, but it is absolutely imperative to tie Alexander-Arnold down to a new deal. Losing him would be bad enough, but losing him on a free transfer at the end of the season would be nothing short of a travesty.