TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD could become the best right-back of all time, according to Gary Neville.
But the Manchester United legend admits he still needs to work on his defending.
Alexander-Arnold scored a crucial goal as Liverpool held treble winners Manchester City to a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
He was handed the Player of the Match award at full-time while ex-England defender Neville heaped praise on his ability, even drawing comparisons between the full-back and City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.
Speaking on a Sky Sports podcast, Neville said: “This is a sensational footballer. Manchester City had a player injured today in Kevin De Bruyne who is world class in terms of delivery, striking of a ball and his passing.
“Trent Alexander-Arnold is the equal of him and he’s a right-back.”
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However, he went on to add that the Liverpool star needs to improve his defending.
The United icon said: “All I’ve said in the last two, three maybe four years is: just get that little bit more serious about your defending.
“I actually think he defended well today. Maybe he could’ve done a bit better for the goal where [Nathan] Ake goes past him, but that happens in football.
“I just thought his attitude to his defending was very good, the way in which he passes the ball is spectacular and then he gets the goal. So his contribution to the game today was very good.
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“All he has to be as a defender is sort of semi-competent, he doesn’t have to be the best right-back in the world defensively.
“You don’t expect him to be [Cesar] Azpilicueta, who was the opposite, in terms of being a defensive right-back, [Branislav] Ivanovic or a Kyle Walker. He doesn’t have to be that.
“What he does have to be is not a liability and there have been times in the last three or four years where that has been a standout feature of Liverpool’s big games, where he’s been too easy to beat and too easy to get at.”
But despite his criticism, Neville still believes that Alexander-Arnold has potential to become the best right-back of all time.
He added: “His performances on the ball are absolutely out of this world. The difference between me and him is night and day. I can’t even relate to what he’s doing on the pitch.
“He’s playing in central midfield for 50-60 per cent of it, he’s going forward scoring goals, he’s setting up goals and assists. He’s achieving numbers that right wingers don’t achieve.
“He’s got the material to be the very best right-back of all-time. But he’s going to have to be a little bit more serious about his defending because currently he struggles to get into the England team – or he has struggled.
“He will need to, when Liverpool and England are under the cosh, be able to be a resilient, tough defensive player as well.
“That’s something I think he can add to his game. I don’t give up on the fact that he can be a very good defender. I think defending is not that difficult to learn compared to the bit of his game that he has got.”
Alexander-Arnold admitted to deliberately celebrating in front of Man City fans after scoring at the weekend.
He said: “It’s always good to celebrate in front of away fans. Seeing all of the faces is really funny.”
Some supporters on social media accused him of taunting them, but referee Chris Kavanagh opted to take no action at the time and he seems likely to escape with a warning if he faces any punishment over it at all.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
