Not so long ago, there were doubts about Alexander-Arnold's role in the Liverpool team. However, after a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace last Saturday, the Reds continue to climb the Premier League rankings. Liverpool overhauled their midfield this summer, bringing in Szobosloy, McAllister, Endo and Ryan Grevenbeck, leaving Jurgen Klopp to have to rest those players as they deal with injuries and suspensions. For the benefit of the team, the players had to adapt their roles to fit the squad, and Alexander-Arnold was one of them. While many believe Liverpool have adopted new full-back tactics to improve the position of the number 66, the stats tell a very different story.
For example, compared to his Premier League average, Alexander-Arnold made fewer passes but had a higher pass success rate. Most advanced data models have lowered his expected assists average. He also spends more time with the ball. However, the England international has not affected the attacking output as much as he has done before. He is not the creator, but the person in charge of passing the ball to the person who is responsible for creating. That is why, before the game against Manchester City, he was third in the number of chances created by Liverpool, behind Szobosloy and Salah. The chances created are an indicator of his dominance over the Reds' system since the 2018-19 season.
However, in recent weeks, Alexander-Arnold has once again taken up the task, showing phenomenal growth. He has been Liverpool's highest-rated player in the last four Premier League games. Alexander-Arnold has scored four goals in his last five matches and has won two Player of the Year awards. The Liverpool-born full-back stepped up when his hometown side needed it most. He equalised late on the Etihad Stadium against Manchester City. He then scored the winner against Fulham to a 4-3 win over Marco Silva's side.
Alexander-Arnold provided an assist in the crucial game against Sheffield United, while Jurgen Klopp's side had a tough game in this one. The 23-cap international player came off the bench against Linz and assisted the final goal in a 4-0 thrashing of the opposition. The right-back was in great form and was the backbone of the Reds' attack. In the games against Fulham, Sheffield United and Crystal Palace, Alexander-Arnold played a key role. He made 15 important passes in those three games, making him the king of passes in the Liverpool squad. In that period, he was followed by Salah (7), Diaz (6) and Tsimikas (5).
Alexander-Arnold's excellent performance was once again on display in the weekend's win over Crystal Palace. Although he didn't score or assist, he showed a shining light in the game. Impressively, he changed positions in the first half and coach Jurgen Klopp moved him to midfield, which has become a regular Liverpool tactic. Again, against Fulham, he adopted the same strategy. After the break, Alexander-Arnold also made the most passes (42), in addition to Van Dijk (56) and Gomes (44). In addition, Arnold has shown excellent defensive qualities, with his number of tackles (2) and interceptions (2) second only to Gomez (4) and Tsimikas (3).
He was also the player with the most clearances and the most blocks in the Liverpool squad. Alexander-Arnold's post-half-time changes gave Liverpool a chance to get back on the attack. The initial performance was not ideal, but they made up for the lack and fought a stalemate with their opponents and eventually seized their opportunity to emerge victorious.