Trent Alexander-Arnold Names Two Full Backs He Studied as He Reveals Desire to Score More Goals

Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has named Dani Alves and Philipp Lahm as the two full backs he has tried to learn from, while admitting he wants to take his game to a new level by scoring more goals. 

The 20-year-old has been a revelation for Jurgen Klopp's side over the last three seasons, making 90 appearances and registering 22 assists from the right-back position.

While the young defender is an assist machine for the Reds, he has only scored four goals in that time. Despite his potent attacking threat from the flank, the England defender has said scoring more goals is something he is aiming for this season. 

"Scoring more goals is something I'd like to improve," he told the Mail. "The modern day full-back needs to be so attacking, needs to offer a lot to the side, whether that be chances created, assists, passes, through-balls.

"Why not take it a step further and add four or five goals in to help the team?"

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His stellar performances mean it's easy to forget he's not a full-back by nature, having originally played as a central midfielder in the Liverpool academy, only learning his current position towards the end of his time in the youth setup in a bid to fast-track himself into the first team. 

When you are learning a new position, watching the best in the business up close can be educational. And for Arnold, that was Bayern legend Lahm and Barcelona icon Alves.

"When I was studying full-backs it was always Philipp Lahm and Dani Alves," he went on. "For me, it's Alves. He's a really attacking aggressive player, solid in his defensive duties but really good attacking-wise, almost like a winger, makes things happen.

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"Our analysts would clip together Alves' best work of the season for me to study. Positional stuff, decision-making, runs. I focused more on Lahm defensively and Alves in the attacking sense.

"I enjoy the attacking side of being a full-back more but I understand that the defensive side is more important. Without a solid foundation, you are going to have to outscore teams 5-4, 4-3 and we don't want that."