Exclusive: Jurgen Klopp on why Trent Alexander-Arnold's evolving role has 'so many benefits' for Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp has defended Trent Alexander-Arnold’s defensive skill-set and says there are “so many benefits” for Liverpool from his positional flexibility.

Alexander-Arnold has seen his role change over the last year as he has evolved from a right-back to an inverted full-back and also a midfielder.

The move has paid dividends for Liverpool, who have a fantastic record in the Premier League since Alexander-Arnold was deployed in midfield against Arsenal last April.

Klopp told TNT Sports that he is “very happy” with how Alexander-Arnold has adapted.

“He was ready for it,” said Klopp on Rio Ferdinand's Between The Lines on TNT Sports.

“It gives him much more freedom. Being an eight or six, he will play there eventually, it will happen, but is it a position he has to play all the time or is it better he can demand a game from the right-back position then drop into midfield and on the wing, this kind of freedom?

"And then in the end being in the centre in a lot of moments and being in charge of the game from there, together with Macca [Alexis Mac Allister] or whoever. There are so many benefits.

“As a team we were not ready in the past and Trent wasn’t ready. We thought last year in a bad moment for us that’s time to change something big and we did and it worked out.

“Trent enjoys it. I think he is quite happy with the position and how he can interpret it. I am very happy with it.

“It’s good fun for a coach to see how the door opens up if you give a player a bit more freedom here.”

Klopp says Alexander-Arnold is a “world-class footballer” and was the “best offensive right-back in the world for a long time”.

While few would argue against that, there has been criticism of his defensive work at times.

However, Klopp said: “Of course there is space for improvements, nobody doubts he can improve defensively, but it’s not as bad as everybody makes it, it’s just the society we live in.

“If you lose one defensive challenge...Kyle Walker loses a defensive challenge from time to time, you don’t make a big story of it as he’s usually a really good defender, but if it happens it happens, it’s football. If it happens to Trent it’s always like it proves a point.”

Klopp is set to leave Liverpool after nine years this summer.

Alexander-Arnold will likely be remembered as one of the most important players of the Klopp era, along with Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

The front three powered Liverpool to their first Premier League title in 2020 as well as Champions League glory in 2019.

Reflecting on the success of the forward trio and how they worked together, Klopp said: “Bobby was here when I arrived. I knew him from the Bundesliga and I loved him.

“A year later we signed Sadio Mane, we needed speed on the wing, he played right wing - right foot, right wing, not everybody can play that, but we had Phil Coutinho on the left.

“A year later I spoke to Mo and he said ‘what about my position?’ I said ‘right wing?’ and he said ‘but Sadio is playing there?’ Then we said is that really his best position and then boof he was on the other side.

“Then it was about Bobby connecting because these guys created new positions, winger strikers, they had to defend like wingers and attack like strikers.

“I don’t ask Mo to do today exactly what he did then, but if you look back at Mo counter pressing in Champions League games, winning the ball back…all these boys want to win and if you give them a clue or a key of how to make that more likely, they buy in 100%.

“They are fit, they are young, they want to do it. I tell everybody as long as you are not Lionel Messi you have to defend. They all 100% bought into it.”

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