Trent Alexander-Arnold had Virgil van Dijk moment vs Leicester that gives Liverpool consolation – Liverpool.com

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It won’t be the thing that gets focused on, but Trent Alexander-Arnold had a significant moment just minutes into the game at the King Power Stadium. Leicester City looked for a few milliseconds like they were going to go through on goal and take an early lead against Liverpool.

Kelechi Iheanacho had received the ball inside the penalty area with Alisson and the goal in his sight. Virgil Van Dijk and Joël Matip were trailing in his wake. The Nigerian was brimming with confidence.

He knew this was his moment to help Brendan Rodgers’ side take an unexpected lead, and give the home side much-needed assurance early on in the game.

But he did not anticipate a racing Alexander-Arnold bolting out of the blue to stop him in his tracks, sweeping the ball away with relative ease in true Virgil Van Dijk fashion.

The moment, despite Leicester later taking the lead and ultimately holding on for victory, highlighted the considerable improvement Alexander-Arnold has made in his defensive output since the beginning of the season.

It was not just that moment against Iheanacho. It was also his latch-ditch tackle on Ryan Fraser against Newcastle, and his goal-line clearance later on in the first half against Leicester.

The stats would suggest the same thing.

This season in the Premier League, Alexander-Arnold has averaged 5.41 defensive duels per 90 (Wyscout) with a 60 per cent success rate. That is a not insignificant improvement in his performance from last season, in which he only averaged 56.9 per cent despite having fewer defensive involvements (4.79 per 90).

Alexander-Arnold now wins more of his aerial duels — 47.6 per cent as opposed to his 35 per cent last season — and makes more interceptions too. His all-round statistical output is a sign of improvement, and Liverpool will take that moment against Iheanacho as an encouraging silver lining from the game.

These are all positive signs, but the Leicester goal proved Alexander-Arnold still has room for improvement. He had tracked and closed down the ball well when Ademola Lookman initially received the pass, but the right-back was sluggish in the way he followed the Leicester City attacker’s run.

Alexander-Arnold’s lack of tracking allowed the Leicester City substitute to break into the box essentially unopposed, leaving Alisson powerless to prevent the ball flying in at his near post.

It would be harsh to blame the result on one individual error, and Alexander-Arnold’s goal-line clearance and last-ditch recovery run on Iheanacho could have also led to Leicester City goals had the Liverpool full-back not been there. Jordan Henderson could have also done more to track Lookman for Leicester’s goal and help Alexander-Arnold out on the right flank.

Liverpool’s problems stemmed more from their attack and the way Leicester defended obdurately in the game. Liverpool had plenty of chances to take the lead against Leicester, but their attackers lost their finishing touch on the night, failing to score from a recorded xG of 2.33 as opposed to Leicester’s 0.59.

There was more good than bad in Alexander-Arnold’s defending on the night. It is just unfortunate that the one bad moment was punished.

The Liverpool full-back has made a positive improvement in his defending, and he needs to continue that trajectory. It’s easy to forget he is still just 23 years of age. With time, those lapses of judgement will be eradicated from his game as he hones his skills. The result will sting, and could yet prove costly in the Premier League title race, but Alexander-Arnold’s first-half Van Dijk moment was a major silver lining for the long-term future.