TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD’S toughest-ever opponent is now without a club – and running a cleaning company.
Brandon Barker, 27, looked destined for the very top as he burst through the Manchester City and England youth ranks.
And Liverpool and England star Alexander-Arnold still wakes up in a cold sweat when he remembers facing Barker seven years ago – in his first-ever game at Anfield.
Barker went toe-to-toe with the now Liverpool vice-captain back when their youth teams clashed – and the unemployed ace put in a stunning display to help his side win 3-0.
He was involved in all three goals as Alexander-Arnold struggled to keep up with his pace down before being hooked off with 30 minutes left to play.
Asked to name his toughest opponent on Liverpool’s Youtube channel, Alexander-Arnold revealed: “I would say Brandon Barker, played for Manchester City. I was 18, playing for the Under-21s, first ever time at Anfield, got beat 3-0.
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“He scored two and got an assist. I came off at 60 minutes. Still to this day, he’s the opponent I think that just destroyed me, man. I’ve never had it like that before.
“At that point, I’m thinking ‘this kid is going to be the best player in the world’. Because I’d never seen someone move so quickly and sharp and effectively, so I’d say Brandon Barker.”
Barker was named academy player of the year in 2014 at the Etihad and was promoted to the first-team squad under Manuel Pellegrini.
The left-winger was a regular on the subs bench before finally making his debut in an FA Cup fifth-round defeat to Chelsea in 2016.
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He represented England all the way up to U20 level and scored six goals in 17 caps for his country.
However, his dreams of making it at City ended when Pep Guardiola deemed him surplus to requirements and loaned him out to Dutch side Breda, Rotherham, Preston and then Hibernian in the space of three years.
He landed himself a big move to Rangers in 2019 but he struggled to make much of an impression at the Scottish giants, scoring just three times in the top-flight.
Following a loan spell at Oxford United, he then embarked on an injury-plagued short-term deal at Reading in 2022.
Barker then signed a two-year deal with Cypriot club Omonia Nicosia that June to link up with his former Hibs boss Neil Lennon and made a dream start when scoring on his debut.
He even played against Manchester United, the team he supported as a boy, in the Europa League last season but things went south after Lennon was sacked.
Barker was released during the summer and is yet to find a new club but, despite his struggles, he still made a huge impact on Liverpool’s Premier League and Champions League winning full-back Alexander-Arnold.
While Barker is looking for a way back into the beautiful game, he still has plenty to keep himself occupied.
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In November 2021 he launched his new cleaning business, called ‘Under Pressure’, in his home town of Manchester with fellow owners James Ferguson and Dean Stevens.
They specialise in cleaning driveways, patios, roofs, gutters and conservatories as well as removing graffiti and chewing gum.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
