Liverpool star now has six games to convince Jürgen Klopp after Trent Alexander-Arnold change – Liverpool.com

The reinvention of Trent Alexander-Arnold in an adjusted hybrid role looks to have revitalized Liverpool in recent weeks, with Jürgen Klopp’s side having finally looked capable of taking control of games. For all the positives, however, question marks remain over where this leaves one Reds mainstay.

There is no doubt that over the past five years, Alexander-Arnold and his defensive partner Andy Robertson have been central to everything good about Liverpool, supplying an unprecedented amount of ammunition from the full-back roles. In total, the pair have registered a colossal 133 assists between them in all competitions since the 2017-18 season, with the Scot now even boasting the highest total of assists for a Premier League defender.

That said, although their approach of playing high up the pitch paid dividends during the best years of Klopp’s reign, question marks have been raised over the benefits of this ‘high risk, high reward’ strategy as a result of inconsistent form this season.

READ MORE: ‘Next Erling Haaland’ who ‘likes’ Liverpool has one problem but Jürgen Klopp could fix it

READ MORE: Sadio Mané could join Liverpool rival as Jürgen Klopp told of $94m release clause for ‘target’

The upturn in the Reds’ fortunes following the swashbuckling second half performance against Arsenal, in which Alexander-Arnold played as an ‘inverted full-back’ to great effect, does raise further questions regarding whether Klopp’s side will ever return to the style they used to great effect in previous seasons.

Two goals in the second half against the Gunners, followed by six against Leeds United, three against Nottingham Forest and two against West Ham would suggest that Liverpool are re-energized from an offensive point of view, with Alexander-Arnold’s five assists in this foursome of fixtures a major reason for the turnaround in fortunes. As a point of comparison, the West Derby-born ace had managed just two assists in the league this season, prior to the game against Mikel Arteta’s outfit.

Football is a results business and, with this in mind, one would not expect Klopp to look to restore Alexander-Arnold to his more familiar full-back role anytime soon if Liverpool’s improved form continues. As much as the Reds academy product looks at home as an ‘inverted full-back’, the role of Robertson looks less set in stone, something that Klopp is all too aware of.

Sign up for our EXCLUSIVE Liverpool.com newsletter!

If you enjoyed this piece, you’ll love our Liverpool.com newsletter — every weekday, we send exclusive, bonus content only to people signed up for our mailing list!

Our newsletter subscribers get a rundown Monday to Friday from one of the best Liverpool FC writers — straight to your inbox, and completely for free.

Wherever you are in the world — in the US, the UK or further afield — you don’t want to miss out.

Sign up to the Liverpool.com newsletter here — it only takes a few seconds!

Klopp explained Robertson’s adapted role in his post-match press conference following the 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest at Anfield, saying: “We cannot have one full-back in the center of the field and the other one constantly high up on the left side. That’s difficult.

“In the first moment of the build-up, yes, his positioning has changed slightly. But [Robertson’s] obviously a very experienced player, a very smart player and he knows when we need him there.”

Clearly, an emphasis has been placed on Robertson essentially filling in as a third center back in recent games to allow for Alexander-Arnold’s adjusted role when Liverpool is out of possession, with the Scotland captain operating as a more traditional full-back when the Reds are on the attack.

On one hand, one could suggest that the potential reduction of Robertson’s potency in terms of assists may prove to be a loss for Liverpool but this is clearly a gamble Klopp is willing to take in order to revitalize Alexander-Arnold. One interesting moment during the last three games was Robertson’s role in Mohamed Salah’s goal at Elland Road, where the 29-year-old committed himself forward on the overlap, supplying a cross that eventually found the Egyptian via Cody Gakpo.

(Image: Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)

In many ways, this goal was a key example of Klopp’s words being put into action, with Robertson using his intelligence to judge whether he should commit to an attack,. The Kop favorite is an experienced performer and, in this sense, it is clear how his role may evolve during the remainder of this campaign.

It does remain to be seen whether Klopp will persist with this — so far successful — experiment next season, and it will be interesting to see whether Liverpool invests in a center back this summer, and what ramifications this could have for Robertson.

As it stands, Klopp looks open to the possibility of Robertson successfully adapting his game, and another assist against West Ham — albeit from a set piece — will not have harmed his case. But if the German eventually decides to use a more traditional center back in a back three to allow for Alexander-Arnold, the Scotsman could well see his minutes reduced.

Of course, a lot depends on how the Reds fare in the remaining six games in the Premier League, where he will be keen to further demonstrate his suitability for his new role. A lot has been made of Alexander-Arnold’s adapted position in recent weeks but the popular left-back Robertson will be equally keen to ensure he is the right man for Klopp in the tweaked system.