Jurgen Klopp boosted by incredible milestone amid Liverpool’s fresh positional change

Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold reached an incerdible milestone in his career during his side’s 6-1 win over Leeds United last night.

The 24-year-old starred in a new inverted right-back role under Jurgen Klopp and was praised profusely by fans and pundits following his fine performance.

Having come under scrutiny this season for his defensive performances, it was a welcome reminder to all of his capabilities, as he set up Cody Gakpo for the opener before delivering a fine chipped ball into Darwin Nunez, who finished expertly to score Liverpool’s sixth and final goal.

Those two assists were hugely significant because it meant that the academy graduate has now reached 50 assists in the Premier League - making him one of only three defenders to achieve that landmark.

Also in the exclusive club are Leighton Baines (53) and his current teammate Andy Robertson (55) and despite not even turning 25 yet, Alexander-Arnold is likely to add significantly to that already stunning figure.

Comparing his figures to the legends of the game in his position such as Dani Alves and Cafu, for reference, Alves recorded 60 goals and 178 assists across his career, whilst Cafu managed 16 goals and 58 assists.

Of course, the way Liverpool have played with Alexander-Arnold and Robertson in the Klopp-era has been revolutionary as full-backs in the modern game are now required to offer a potent attacking threat - when in the past they were ordered to be far more conservative.

Still, the reference is there and alongside those two assists against Leeds he also managed 11/16 long balls, 91% pass accuracy as well as three tackles, one interception and two clearances. Clearly, the new role was a natural fit.

However, Javi Gracia’s side were hapless at times and this experiement will have to move into phase two of it’s testing against better opposition.

But, for now, we can praise the genius of the Liverpool defender who continues to break records and set trends in a position that will never be the same again thanks to his influence.