Trent flowing again as Reds terminate talk they’re spent
WELCOME back Liverpool, we thought we had lost you for this season.
Instead, Jurgen Klopp and his men are the footballing equivalent of an adversary in a movie who will not die. Think The Terminator in the Arnold Schwarzenegger franchise.
Real Madrid will be a significant step up in class tomorrow night from an Arsenal side imploding around Mikel Arteta.
Statements of intent do not come much better, however, than a win inspired by Gareth Southgate’s decision to leave Trent Alexander-Arnold out of his England squad.
In fact, the Three Lions boss did Liverpool a favour as Klopp insisted the 22-year-old benefited from his two-week rest.
“100 per cent,” said the Reds manager.
“He didn’t have a lot of rest because we trained quite intensely but I’m sure the things we did in training helped him. If you play three times in 10 days there is not a lot of time for training.”
Klopp, below, made it clear he has absolutely no beef with Southgate.
But Alexander Arnold’s scream of triumph, as Diogo Jota headed in his cross for the first of the forward’s two goals, said everything.
As did a third clean sheet in as many games after only two in Liverpool’s previous 12. Rookies Ozan Kabak and Nat Phillips might not fill many with confidence that run will continue.
But with Fabinho majestic once more in midfield, Mo Salah scoring his 18th Premier League goal and Alexander-Arnold exploding down the right again, confidence is finally coursing through the collective Reds veins again.