MY ACCOUNT
Trent Alexander-Arnold believes there were flashes of the old Liverpool on display in Sunday’s fightback against Arsenal but accepts it was probably too late for a top-four push.
Liverpool drew 2-2 with the Premier League leaders at Anfield, battling back from 2-0 down to earn a commendable point – and they probably should have completed the turnaround late on.
A positive outcome did not always look likely, however, as Arsenal were utterly dominant at the point of going 2-0 up and were arguably unfortunate not to have scored more themselves.
The turning point seemed to come in the 41st minute when an altercation between Granit Xhaka and Alexander-Arnold sparked a fiery atmosphere in the stadium, and Mohamed Salah pulled one back shortly after.
Liverpool looked the bigger threat from that point and inexplicably failed to get a late winner after Roberto Firmino’s equaliser, with Darwin Nunez and Ibrahima Konate passing up gilt-edged opportunities.
The point did not do much for the Reds’ Champions League hopes, but Alexander-Arnold felt the performance showed Liverpool are not a lost cause even during a difficult season.
“We showed a different side to us, one that we’ve had in previous seasons, where we get past disappointment and are able to get back into games – and we showed that, so that’s a decent sign,” he told Liverpool’s official website.
“But we need to be getting three points. No matter whether we’re playing top of the league or bottom of the league, three points is our aim and we know we could have got that [on Sunday].
“We showed a different side to us. We showed that we really wanted to go out there and put a good performance in.
“Even though you’re playing probably the best team in the league, we still showed our quality and dominated them for the whole second half and should’ve won the game.”
However, the Reds remain 12 points behind fourth-placed Manchester United with nine matches remaining.
Alexander-Arnold accepts overturning such a deficit looks a tall order.
“We take the point and try to improve it next week,” he continued. “We’ve got a full week to go and train, and that’s what we need to go and do.
“We have our targets and it’s going to be difficult to get Champions League football now I think. But it’s still mathematically possible, so as long as that’s possible then that’s what we go for.
“We’re not in the position we want to be in at all but there’s still nine games to go. That’s where our heads are at – let’s go and try to win all nine.”
