ReactionTrent Alexander-Arnold on Man City draw: 'The result can give us belief'
Trent Alexander-Arnold was pleased by the way Liverpool dug in to earn a hard-fought point at Manchester City, insisting the result will give the Reds belief.
Jürgen Klopp's men battled back to secure a 1-1 draw at Etihad Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
Alexander-Arnold's low drive cancelled out Erling Haaland's earlier opener for the hosts to leave the two teams level at the end of an enthralling contest.
Speaking to Sky Sports post-match, read the No.66's thoughts below…
On whether the result felt like a step forward for Liverpool...
I think it's definitely a result that's better than what we got here last year. We haven't had too many good results here in general, to be honest. But it's a points game; we take the point. It wasn't an amazing performance from us at all. But like I say, we take the point and there were positives. We had our chances to win the game.
On the performance overall of the team...
I don't think we played particularly well, first half especially. Their formation and the way they set up really challenged us and they have a lot of bodies in there. It's difficult to play against. We regrouped at half-time. I think we came on second half with a bit more of a game plan and to press them. It's always difficult, just subconsciously when you play against Man City you've got a lot of respect for the team and the way they play. So, just automatically you think you can't really get tight to the players, and you stand off them a little bit and that seemed to be the problem in the first half. I think second half we definitely put that respect to the side. We have to come here and try to get a result and that's what we did.
On whether the midfield felt condensed by both teams...
Yeah, definitely. I think a lot of the way they broke us down was probably round the side rather than through us and likewise with us. It was not really a game for penetrating through the middle. It was more around the outside and a little bit in behind. But, like I said, they have a lot of bodies in there, [they] shift the ball well, [have] ball players who can really manipulate the ball. It's difficult to get near them. But second half I thought we were a lot better and we had our chances and we took them.
On how big his role was in the game both in midfield and defence...
I think there was potentially a game plan to stop me from getting the ball in midfield, at least that's what it felt like, especially in the first half, I think... a little bit of man-marking. I think Bernardo [Silva] was very close to me a lot when I was pulling inside. I mean, I could be completely wrong, and I could just be talking nonsense, but I'm pretty sure that was the game plan - it felt like that. So, it was about trying to get on the ball in different ways and I think I adapted to it. I tried to pull out a little bit wider and tried to just get on the ball as much as possible but also free players up and get Macca on the ball, get Dom on the ball, get Curt on the ball [and] Ryan when he came on; [players] who [can] get on the ball and drive forward. I thought we'd done that especially well in the second half.
On his goal and what he saw...
An opportunity - that was it really. I got the ball from Mo and I thought I'd hit the target [by] getting it across goal. I could sense that there were bodies. It was just a touch and get it across goal and obviously it was a good finish into the far corner. It was one that we needed as a team.
On whether something is building at Liverpool...
For sure. There's been many times [when] we've played a lot better against Man City and lost the game. So, to come here and get the point is a good result for us, if I'm honest. It was something that we needed as a team and I think it just instils that belief that even when we don't play well against the champions, they just won the treble last year, a team at the top of the league, if you can't play well and you can still get a point against them then at least you're doing something right and we've dug in deep today and got that point.
- Get 20% off everything* in LFC Retail's Black Friday sale: Online store | LFC Store app (*T&Cs apply)