Premier League

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.
Trent Alexander-Arnold scored an equaliser for Liverpool against Man City on SaturdayCredit: Alamy
Gary Neville believes he could become the best right-back of all timeCredit: PA
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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Alexander-Arnold celebrated in front of Man City fans after scoringCredit: AP
“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.
Liverpool held Man City to a 1-1 drawCredit: EPA More

A FORMER Premier League ace has opened up on his incredible early rise to fame as a top flight star.But despite being surrounded by expensive cars and girls, the ex-player admits “it all happened too quickly.”
Micah Richards has opened up about his early rise to stardom
Richards made his Man City debut at just 17 and went on to win the titleCredit: Getty
Micah Richards, 35, made his senior debut for Manchester City in 2007 — when he was just 17 years old.
The right-back quickly established himself as an important player for the Etihad club.
He went on to score nine goals in 245 games for his boyhood club.
And Richards even lifted several trophies including a Premier League title and an FA Cup.
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However, the 13-time England international retired from football aged just 31 in 2019.
He made just two league appearances in his final three seasons at Aston Villa.
And his last two terms at City also yielded just nine league games.
Speaking with pals Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer, Richards revealed how he “burst onto the scene” as a City kid.
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Richards is now a pundit after retiring at 31 as his playing career fizzled outCredit: Getty
As he hit success on the pitch, he also reaped the off-pitch benefits too.
Richards admits he loved everything football had to offer at the time.
But in hindsight, the ace concedes it all came a bit too soon and may have resulted in his playing career fading out.
Richards said on BBC MOTD: “I started that phrase though, busting on the scene.
“I didn’t start it but I made it massive.”
Shearer joked: “Now he’s just massive. And he’s f*****g bursting out of his gear.”
Lineker then asked: “Was it difficult for you to handle suddenly becoming this instant star as a teenager?”
Richards answered: “I loved it. I absolutely loved it. There was cars, there was girls.
“It was like, you know, when you’ve finally arrived.”
Lineker responded: “Do you wish your rise would’ve been more gradual and you would have had a longer, more successful career?”
Richards said: “It all happened too quick and I got a little bit too excited. It was too much too soon.
“But I got there in the end, didn’t I? Working with you guys, not bad, I can’t complain.” More

RED-FACED Joel Veltman has sent an urgent SOS to one lucky Seagulls fan . . . as he desperately tries to track down his missing GPS!The tiny Global Positioning System is worn by all Premier League players to track their movements throughout matches.
Brighton star Joel Veltman was left red-faced at Nottingham ForestCredit: Rex
The crucial statistics they provide are analysed by clubs’ sports science staff and managers to assess their players’ movements on the pitch.
But Veltman lost his unit in the wild celebrations which followed ten-man Brighton’s gutsy  win at Nottingham Forest, which ended their six-match winless Prem run.
And he has begged the lucky Brighton fan who has it to return it  ASAP.
He said: “I was just so happy as we celebrated our win that I threw my shirt into the fans.
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“The problem was that my GPS was still in it, so that was a bit sad for me. I went back to ask for it but they thought I wanted my shirt back and were long gone. I just wanted the GPS.”
 Veltman had to laugh at the prospect of him handing in his GPS to club boffins — and their puzzlement over how he managed to record a top speed of 70mph for more than an hour as his monitor hurtled back towards Brighton on the M1.
While Veltman was losing his shirt, the most relieved man was  Seagulls skipper Lewis Dunk who had earlier lost his head.
Dunk was somehow yellow-carded then red-carded in the space of 12 seconds.
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That was the shortest gap for a player receiving two bookings in a Prem game since Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli against Wolves in February 2022 as he was given his marching orders within four seconds.
The defender received an automatic yellow for crowding referee Anthony Taylor as he studied the pitchside monitor during a penalty check.
When Taylor decided Jack Hinshelwood HAD hauled down Callum Hudson-Odoi and pointed to the spot, Dunk lost the plot and was given a straight red for foul and abusive language.
Morgan Gibbs-White scored from the spot to spark a late Forest onslaught.
But the damage had been done as Brighton battled back from the loss of a third-minute opener from Anthony Elanga to take a 3-1 lead as Evan Ferguson equalised before Joao Pedro grabbed a double — including a penalty.
For Forest it was a first home loss in the league this season. Right-back Ola Aina said: “In the first half we let ourselves down and gave ourselves too much to do. We have to be more ruthless and nasty.”
Veltman accidentally threw his shirt along with his GPS tracker to the crowdCredit: Rex More

BRAZIL can’t win the World Cup because of the Premier League, claims Cafu.The Brazilian legend won the 2002 World Cup with the Selecao, which was the last time his country lifted the trophy.
Cafu believes Brazil can’t win the World Cup because of the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty
And the famous right-back doesn’t expect the national team to break that hoodoo and add to their record of five titles any time soon due to the Prem.
The AC Milan great believes English football has damaged Brazil’s Premier League stars’ mentality.
The top flight has a number of Samba aces, such as Alisson, Ederson, Gabriel Magalhaes, Bruno Guimaraes, Douglas Luiz, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Casemiro, Lucas Paqueta and Richarlison.
And the 53-year-old suggested stars like the aforementioned get “brainwashed” into falsely believing they play in the best competition in the world.
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However, the Roma hero believes there is a higher mentality in LaLiga, which helps players win trophies.
And the legendary defender argues that lack of character also affects Brazil at top level.
Cafu said: “I am afraid, the more we have Brazilians moving to the Premier League, the fewer chances for Brazil to win the World Cup.
“Imagine being brainwashed by the media every week that you are the best in the world, meanwhile, you are not near the best.
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“I prefer LaLiga because they have a high mentality to reach finals and win them.
“In La Liga, they don’t have a mouth in front of TV cameras telling lies about Spanish players or hyping them to the world.
“They speak football there, not myth.” More

FANS were left perplexed by Jamie Vardy’s reaction to missing a great chance in Leicester’s 2-0 victory over Watford yesterday.The former England striker had the ball put on a plate for him after excellent work from winger Stephy Mavididi in the 73rd minute of the game.
A frustrated Jamie Vardy hit himself in the faceCredit: X @LCFC
But he did go on to score two goalsCredit: X @LCFC

But Vardy’s volley went flying over the bar as he took the chance on his weaker left foot.
The forward couldn’t contain his disappointment as he collapsed to the floor after missing the chance.
After hauling himself back to his feet, the striker launched a vicious punch into the side of his own head.
Vardy has previous for lashing out at himself in frustration, memorably headbutting the floor after missing a chance during Leicester’s title winning season.
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Fans on Twitter expressed their confusion at the incident.
One wrote: “We’ve all done that at some point, right?”
Another replied: “Why did he do that?”
A third wrote: Play s**t get banged.”
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Whatever the method behind the moment of madness, it worked, as Vardy recovered to score a brace in the game.
Vardy scored just three minutes after the incident to make it 1-0 to the Foxes.
His penalty in the 96th minute put the game beyond doubt as Leicester eased to a 2-0 victory.
The Foxes re-opened a three point gap on Ipswich at the top of the Championship after starting the season as the league’s dominant team. More