Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk labelled teammate and deputy skipper Trent Alexander-Arnold the “complete package” in the wake of Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City.
Alexander-Arnold was tasked with keeping City winger Jeremy Doku quiet at one end of the pitch before popping up at the other to score the Reds’ late equaliser.
“He offers a lot defensively and, obviously in possession, he has qualities that are very special and he shows that as well, so he has the complete package,” Van Dijk assessed in post-match comments to reporters at the Etihad Stadium.
“He has to keep doing what he’s doing, keep improving, keep that high standard he has for himself and we all have for him as well.”
Van Dijk contextualised the quality of Alexander-Arnold’s performance by his comments on Doku, who racked up four assists and scored in City’s recent 6-1 thrashing of Bournemouth.
“I think everyone this season, as a defender, one-v-one against Doku will have a tough afternoon. He’s a very good dribbler,” the centre-back explained. “But I don’t think [Alexander-Arnold] had a tough afternoon on the whole. It’s how you defend them together and try to get two-v-one in situations and, in the end, I’m pleased for him that he got the equaliser.”
City midfielder Bernardo Silva conceded after the game that Liverpool are “back”, having had a poor 2022/23 season by their own recent standards and failing to qualify for the Champions League.
“I think we should have won. But when you play a team like Liverpool, this season they are back being very competitive again,” Silva reflected.
“We expected it after a tough [2022/23] season for them. We knew their energy was going to be back so it’s going to be tough, not just with them but Arsenal, Spurs. But we are also ready to fight.”
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