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Trent Alexander-Arnold: First Liverpool goal 'a dream' for teenage defender

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments108

Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold described scoring on his European debut for his boyhood club as "a dream".

The 18-year-old opened the scoring with a neat free-kick as the Reds won 2-1 at Hoffenheim in their Champions League play-off first leg.

"It is indescribable," Alexander-Arnold, who has been with the club since he was eight, told BBC Radio 5 live.

"It is special in so many ways."

Former Liverpool captain and current Reds academy coach Steven Gerrard had said in April: "Trent's going to be a beauty".

Gerrard told BT Sport after the game on Tuesday that Alexander-Arnold will be a "top, top player".

The teenager added: "It is always good to get compliments from your idol and I hope to live up to his words. It is always good to get his backing and support."

Alexander-Arnold, who broke into the Liverpool squad last season, took the free-kick despite there being considerably more experienced set-piece takers on the field for Liverpool.

"I told him he had to do it," said Reds boss Jurgen Klopp. "He was the only one who can.

"He can shoot free-kicks better than I ever could. He is an incredible young player."

Trent Alexander-Arnold
Trent Alexander-Arnold's goal was his first for Liverpool in his 14th senior appearance

Liverpool will look to clinch a place in the group stage of this season's Champions League when they host Hoffenheim in the second leg on Wednesday, 23 August.

"I am happy with the result," added Klopp. "If somebody told me we would win we would take each result - even an 8-7.

"I'm not happy with the goal they scored but I think they deserved the goal for their effort over the 90 minutes."

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108 comments

  • Comment posted by DPG, at 10:34 16 Aug 2017

    Great to see a young player given a chance in a huge match and taking it so impressively. Still much to learn, but he seems down-to-earth.

  • Comment posted by User0486620665, at 11:27 16 Aug 2017

    And it's worth mentioning that Liverpool succeeded in doing something that Bayern Munich, Dortmund, Schalke and the other German giants have been unable to do for the past 16 months, beat Hoffenheim on their own ground. Well done, Liverpool.

  • Comment posted by User0486620665, at 11:10 16 Aug 2017

    A neat free kick? Is that the best this reporter can do? It was superb, brilliant, stunning, worthy of Coutinho, from a young lad who is living his dream. Long may he continue doing exceptional things that stick in the craws of Liverpool's opponents.

  • Comment posted by Mr Happy from Surrey, at 11:14 16 Aug 2017

    om (12) THERE WAS NO deflection just a very sweetly hit free kick. Yes he was at fault and he will learn from that mistake but it takes a certain individual with guts to step up and take a set piece. This kid will go far in the game if given the time to learn his trade. Maybe they can get Clyne to play on the left as Moreno is a liability.

  • Comment posted by User0679154767, at 11:52 16 Aug 2017

    Nice to see a more positive piece about Liverpool instead of the constant attempts to get them to sell Coutinho on the cheap, and the constant whinging about their defence with particular victimisation of Alberto Moreno.

  • Comment posted by SeeDubya, at 11:08 16 Aug 2017

    Absolutely fantastic to see a former mascot score for Liverpool.
    His corner kicking against Watford stood out. Maybe Coutinho's nonsense has unlocked a new treasure?

  • Comment posted by VoiceOfReason, at 11:20 16 Aug 2017

    Glad he's 'only' a defender so the usual mass-hysteria from the British Media about him should be toned-down a bit and it hopefully won't go to his head.

    I dread to think what is going to happen when Southgate & Co get hold of the poor kid.

    Anyone bashing an 18yo playing and scoring in his first CL game needs to beg the Schools to reopen to give the rest of us a break.

  • Comment posted by User0142208200, at 11:42 16 Aug 2017

    Media leave him alone and let him develop quietly, without hysterical over-reaction and ego-poking. Such pressure has destroyed many a young prospect before they've had a chance to mature.

  • Comment posted by Liverpool 1985, at 10:42 16 Aug 2017

    If he keeps playing like this,Clyne has a tough job on his hands getting back into the side. TAA seems to have also gone above Flanagan in the pecking order. It's been too long since we had a Scouse lad come through to make it at first team level,but Trent looks very promising. Keep going lad

  • Comment posted by Poko, at 10:56 16 Aug 2017

    For once a nice story in a toxic industry.

  • Comment posted by User0249812757, at 13:26 16 Aug 2017

    66. HesGonnaCostaLot

    Is that correct?

    So coutinho has never scored a goal that helped lfc win anything or in the CL?

    No need for shirt burning then

    I heard that minus his contribution last season lfc would have been no worse off

  • Comment posted by Champ20ns, at 12:10 16 Aug 2017

    @26 that's the problem with our game. A youngster has one good moment and fans worship him, gets a massive contract, and hyped up as the next ballon d'or winner.

    And people why so many footballers ultimately turn out to be failures.

  • Comment posted by Bjorntorekvarme-leg-end, at 11:19 16 Aug 2017

    @11 Klopp has a bit of the Keegans about him IMO - he would rather win a game 5-3 than 2-0, unfortunately it does came back to bite you, Watford being a prime example. I actually think Liverpool are world class GK and CB away from being a very good side, as they would raise the level of the rest of the back four as well. Until then we will continue to be average with moments of brilliance.

  • Comment posted by Jates12, at 10:42 16 Aug 2017

    Brilliant going forward, looks to attack with real menace. Shame about the schoolboy defending at the end for the goal. Not playing to the whistle and jogging with a hand in the air is criminal if you ask me at any level. But on the whole, very very positive for a young lad to be thrown in at the deep end.

  • Comment posted by LayRong, at 12:42 16 Aug 2017

    A deflected shot and a poor Penalty contributed to Liverpools' win in Germany last night.They didn't deserve to win but got lucky,as usual.

    ** Sport News**

  • Comment posted by McGaz, at 12:05 16 Aug 2017

    It was a perfect strike, and his corners were also very good on Saturday too.

    He does seem to be a bit easy to get past defensively at times, but hopefully he'll learn now that he's going up against top players every week.

  • Comment posted by Bjorntorekvarme-leg-end, at 10:53 16 Aug 2017

    Great free kick, huge talent. Desperately need a leader/organiser in the back four to help him. The goal last night typifies us defensively, I don't think our defenders are bad players as such, just that there is no one communicating and organising. They play like four individuals as opposed to a unit.

  • Comment posted by User0780889298, at 15:43 16 Aug 2017

    Surprised by all the negativity surrounding this.

    I remember when Rashford scored his first goal and the Mancs went nuts!!

    Or when Chelsea and City's academy players scored their first goals....oh wait!!

    Just kidding.

    I think people need to chill. He's a young lad who's had a good start to his pro career and has generally looked pretty solid. Give him a chance before mocking him.

  • Comment posted by davidindevon, at 10:41 16 Aug 2017

    Good on the young lad. If only his other three back four defenders were as accomplished as he is.

  • Comment posted by MancSW, at 13:10 16 Aug 2017

    Pleasing to see a manager give a youth player a chance rather than buying an average foreigner for 40 odd million. Looks like he could be a good player!

    Hopefully my team (Man Utd) and others follow suit, give youth products a chance! Englands youth teams were superb this summer, let's hope their club managers give them all an opportunity.

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