Nobody was questioning Trent Alexander-Arnold바카라s attacking qualities, so it would be a stretch to say his perfectly executed free kick was a riposte to his critics. Still, his seventh-minute strike that set Liverpool on course to a totally dominant 2-0 win on Tuesday against Rangers in UEFA Champions League 2022-23 felt significant. (More Football News)
His joyous celebration was a release of tension for a player whose World Cup place looks in serious jeopardy. Whether this performance will be enough to convince England manager Gareth Southgate to include him in his squad for Qatar remains to be seen 바카라 but, for Jurgen Klopp, Alexander-Arnold is pivotal to Liverpool바카라s recovery from such an uncertain start to the season.
Questions also hang over the Merseyside club 바카라 but the one-sided contest at Anfield should serve to settle nerves among his players. Only veteran Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor prevented a landslide Liverpool victory.
The 40-year-old McGregor engaged in a personal dual with Darwin Nunez in the first half 바카라 and a spectacular fingertip save to push away a goal-bound effort from Diogo Jota after the break stood out from a host of stops in the face of overwhelming Liverpool pressure.
Ultimately it took two set pieces to beat him 바카라 Alexander-Arnold바카라s free kick a second-half penalty from Mohamed Salah. Klopp has defended Alexander-Arnold amid growing criticism of his defensive frailties and continued that theme on Tuesday, even if it was another occasion when the fullback바카라s attacking prowess caught the eye.
바카라He played a good game defensively, especially, and a good goal,바카라 said the Liverpool manager. 바카라We cannot talk about it every week. Trent doesn바카라t have a defensive problem 바카라 we have a defensive problem, hopefully had (a defensive problem).
바카라Our timing was not right and we take risks in defending, everybody knows that. When the timing is not right, you open gaps, and these gaps are very often at the back of Trent. Not because of him, but because of other situations and he has to track back and, yes, we were not in the perfect moment. That바카라s why we adjusted it slightly (tonight).바카라
It is difficult, though, to draw too many conclusions from a game where the gulf in class between English and Scottish football was fully exposed. Liverpool바카라s early-season struggles were nowhere to be seen in the face of such meager opposition from Rangers.
The Glasgow club looked out of its depth from the opening moments as the home team completely dominated the ball and the chances. McGregor was called into action after just three minutes to stop an effort from Nunez. That would become a theme of the first half.
Liverpool was ahead shortly afterward when Alexander-Arnold lined up a free kick just outside the box and curled a perfect shot into the top corner to spark wild celebrations inside Anfield. The only surprise by halftime was the fact Liverpool failed to add to its lead.
But Salah killed off any chance of an unlikely fightback with his 53rd-minute penalty after Leon King brought down Luis Diaz in the box.
바카라Don바카라t forget the opposition we are playing,바카라 said Rangers coach Giovanni Van Bronckhorst. 바카라Everyone is thinking, 바카라OK it바카라s Liverpool, they are out of form, it바카라s going to be an easy game.바카라 Well you see today the level they can reach.
바카라The gap is obvious. You don바카라t have to look at the squads we both have. We are competing against one of the best sides in Europe. The gap is there.바카라
For Klopp, there was a sense of relief, after recording back-to-back wins in the competition and the chance to build some momentum and confidence. Liverpool remained three points behind Group A leader Napoli, which beat Ajax 6-1.
바카라I can바카라t wait for the moment when I can read newspapers again because I didn바카라t read them for weeks,바카라 he joked. 바카라I don바카라t know what바카라s happening in the world, to be honest. I know the big news and the bad news, I know all of them.
바카라The criticism is completely fine. We are not over the moon about our situation. But we played some really good games 바카라 it바카라s not like it바카라s 10 years ago, it바카라s not too long ago. I saw tonight a team fully committed and that바카라s what we have to do.바카라
These are tentative steps forward for Liverpool and Alexander-Arnold 바카라 and neither club nor player will get too carried away on the basis of this one night at Anfield.
