Klopp refuses Alexander-Arnold debate
Jürgen Klopp refused to be drawn into a question over Trent Alexander-Arnold’s best position at Liverpool, calling the debate “unpleasant”. There has been a lot of talk over Alexander-Arnold’s role with the Reds, particularly with Klopp now utilizing him in an inverted role. The debate has grown after the academy graduate scored in successive games against Manchester City and Fulham, rescuing four points in the process. When the question arose during the Liverpool press conference ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Sheffield United though, Klopp cut in quickly.
“It’s just about us and what we have available,” Klopp said (via the ECHO). “Is Joe Gomez there? Is Conor Bradley there? If they are both there one of them might have to play at left-back because Kostas (Tsimikas) cannot play all the games but yes, Trent can play in midfield.
“We have always known that but Trent can play the role we have given him now very well as well, so we will see. That is it. If we want to be good he has to be influential from all different areas. If he plays a good game, he obviously did in the last game and that is it pretty much. “It is always this unpleasant [thing] that tries to create headlines. If you want to discuss it, discuss but without my [input]. We play him where we think it is best for him and he became one of the most successful players in the recent history of Liverpool FC playing as a right-back and he became a Premier League player as a right-back.
“Can he play more inside? Definitely, but as I say, we will play him wherever is best for us and I am not stubborn and don’t want to play him in midfield, not at all. I am not a part of this discussion.
Hughes ‘had an interview’ for Liverpool job Former Manchester United striker Mark Hughes has revealed he got surprisingly close to becoming Liverpool manager. The 60-year-old told the No Tippy Tappy Football Podcast that he interviewed for the role following the sacking of Roy Hodgson, and before Kenny Dalglish took over for a second stint.
“I once had an interview for the Liverpool job, I don’t think that’s well-documented, but I didn’t get it so that doesn’t really count does it,” Hughes said. “I think Kenny decided he was going to be a manager again, maybe the choice of candidates wasn’t great. I had a sit down with people at Liverpool, there you go, I think that would’ve been more of a shock than me getting the Man City job.”
Given the way Hughes’ managerial career has gone in subsequent years, it seems Liverpool made the right call in not following up on that interview. Appointing the United legend would have been a controversial move, and we can only imagine how it would have gone down if things didn’t go well.
An all-too-familiar question cropped up in Jürgen Klopp’s press conference ahead of tomorrow’s game against Sheffield United tomorrow. Here’s your latest Liverpool news, including a Manchester United legend revealing how he came close to getting the manager’s job at Anfield.
