Gary Lineker has drooled over the quality of Liverpool sensation Trent Alexander-Arnold after his performance in the historic win over Manchester City on Tuesday night.
The Reds secured a 2-1 away victory at the Etihad Stadium and most importantly that meant a 5-1 aggregate win in the Champions League quarter-final tie.
Jurgen Klopp’s side booked their place in the last four of Europe’s elite club competition and so far have been joined by Italian giants Roma, with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich also in pole position to join them.
Man City went into the midweek clash needing three goals to cut out the first leg deficit and made the perfect start with Gabriel Jesus’ strike inside two minutes.
However, the Merseyside club held firm defensively, before goals from usual suspects Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino secured the win on the night.
Lineker decided to single out defender Alexander-Arnold for special praise on social media and feel that he showed great “maturity” in the Champions League tie.
The 19-year-old right-back dealt well with winger Leroy Sane in both legs and some are even calling for him to be drafted into England’s World Cup squad in the summer.
“So impressed with Trent Alexander-Arnold. A teenager playing with an assuredness and maturity way beyond his years,” Lineker wrote on his personal Twitter account.
So impressed with Trent Alexander-Arnold. A teenager playing with an assuredness and maturity way beyond his years.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) April 10, 2018
OPINION
Alexander-Arnold arguably turned in his best two performances in a Liverpool shirt in the two-legged tie with Man City and has proven he is ready to be a mainstay in the side. The highly-rated defender is a product of the club’s academy and right now is above senior player Nathaniel Clyne in the pecking order at Anfield. He has proven that he has the defensive prowess to play in a back four, while his attacking exploits are well known and he loves to bomb down the flank. Alexander-Arnold is developing into a seriously strong right-back and at his age should only improve. Klopp has integrated him into the first team at the perfect time and is now reaping the rewards of that.