Liverpool Boss Jurgen Klopp Heaps Praise on 'Proper Defender' Trent Alexander-Arnold

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was singing the praises of 19-year-old defender Trent Alexander-Arnold after his impressive display in the Reds' 3-0 victory over Southampton. 

The young English defender has made four Premier League appearances for Liverpool this season, but according to Klopp, Alexander-Arnold's performance against the Saints was his best in a Liverpool shirt yet. 

Some fans were surprised to see Arnold get the nod to start against Southampton over Joe Gomez, who was man of the match for England in their friendly against Brazil.

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However, Arnold's performance justified Klopp's decision to start him, and the Liverpool boss says he did not need reminding about the 19-year-old's abilities. 

"I didn't need today as a reminder but probably all the rest did," said Klopp after the game, as quoted by the Daily Star.

"We need to mix it up, even if we win games like today. Joe [Gomez] had two games in the last week, it's not a problem, he could have played today."

With a number of British full-backs at his disposal, Klopp has the luxury of being able to rotate his defensive lineup. 

While Nathaniel Clyne remains sidelined, Joe Gomez, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson and Jon Flanagan are all available for selection. 

However, young Alexander-Arnold, whose versatility has impressed his manager, may well become a regular feature in Liverpool's starting lineup. 

Klopp added, "He [Alexander-Arnold] is another type of defender. When he started he was a proper winger and sometimes a defender."

"Now he's a proper defender and sometimes a winger. It makes much more sense in his position. He was really good today. It was probably his best performance over 90 minutes in defending. What he can do offensively everybody already knows."

Alexander-Arnold was recently rewarded for his encouraging performances with a new five year deal at Liverpool, keeping him at his boyhood club until 2022.