Liverpool continued its victory march in Champions League 2021/22 as they picked up their 4th straight group stage win, outclassing a jaded-looking Atletico Madrid.
In what was otherwise a cogent team effort that led to them clinching the 3 points from Simeone’s side, a few names from the Merseyside outfit, however, distinctly stood out owing to their exceptional display on the field.
One wouldn’t have to think twice before mentioning Liverpool’s star-defender Trent Alexander-Arnold as one of them.
The right-back’s stunning right-footed assist in the box led to the first goal for the home side, as Jota comfortably headed the ball into the net putting the hosts ahead within 15 minutes of the start.
During the post-match analysis, BT Sport experts shed light on TAA’s sharp presence of mind on the field as the slow-motioned replays showed the defender engaging in an eagle-eyed scan of his surroundings, before receiving the ball from Henderson and making his subsequent pass towards the box.
This seemingly mundane moment on the field proved most fruitful, as Alexander-Arnold was able to assess the positioning of the opponents around him and accordingly make the call of feeding the ball directly to the Portuguese striker.
The brief passage of play also highlighted the subtleties in the right-back’s game, making it apparent that he was always thinking two passes ahead.
Various youth coaches on Twitter picked up on Trent’s in-game attention to detail, accentuating the need of budding footballers to learn from the clip and inculcate the art of “scanning” into their gameplay.
They surmised that every swivel and turn on the field needs to be meaningful, with the succeeding move kept in mind before one receives the ball.
His on-field effectiveness continued to shine through, as another top-rate pass from the Englishman met Mane with pinpoint accuracy which required all but a tap-in from the winger to double their advantage.
With this latest triumph at Anfield, Jürgen Klopp’s men have forced their way into the subsequent knockout stages of the competition, occupying the top spot in group B with 12 points in their pockets.
