LIVERPOOL RIGHT-BACK Trent Alexander-Arnold knows Manchester City tried to target him in the Champions League, and believes he showed he was more than up for the task.
The Reds defeated City 5-1 over two legs to reach the Champions League semi-finals in comfortable fashion.
Alexander-Arnold was one of Liverpool’s best performers over the two matches, despite being given a difficult match-up in the form of City star Leroy Sane.
The 19-year-old feels he was singled out by City due to his relative inexperience, but believes he showed that strategy was unsuccessful.
“I guess Man City looked at it and [felt] I’m the weak link,” Alexander-Arnold said following Tuesday’s 2-1 win at the Etihad Stadium.
“Maybe that gave me that underdog mentality and [I] tried to prove them wrong. That’s what I went out to try and do — to go and prove them wrong and show them I’m not the weak link in the team.
“I think over the two legs I tried my best and did my best to win my personal battles and help us win the tie.”
Sane has been one of the stars of City’s phenomenal campaign, but Alexander-Arnold feels he more than held his own and helped neutralise the Germany international.
“You look forward to playing these types of games, these types of opponents and testing yourself when you can,” Alexander-Arnold said.
“I got the opportunity to do that over the two legs and I tried to do the right things. Hopefully I came out on top and I hope everyone sees it that way as well.”
Speaking on BT Sport following the game, former Liverpool star Steven Gerrard heaped praise upon Alexander-Arnold, and suggested he could be in England manager Gareth Southgate’s World Cup plans, despite not yet being capped at senior level by the Three Lions.
“If you look at Trent’s age, and the magnitude of the game over both legs, who he was up against, I think he has to be the star man over the two legs,” Gerrard said.
“He’s stood up so well, Gareth [Southgate] will know him well.”
Serious atmosphere here in Cavan. This is exactly where you want to be playing the All Ireland Champions. Whatever the result these games against the top 4 will stand to us in the summer months
It’s exactly the gate the county board needed as well
Mind blowing that people would actually travel to watch that rubbish sport.
@Ordinary lad: the much “hyped” Irish Rugby team lost yesterday. How much money do those lads earn?
Mind blowing that someone would take the time to open an article about a sport they consider to be ‘rubbish’ and then take the time to comment on it.
How can a team that receives €120k in funding compete against a team that receives €1.4million
Hahaha give over Al . Deep down you love the gaa
@Alan b..: Sure all the money we’ll be spending here we’ll double that funding for you pal ;)
a decent workout so far get rid of the Jamaican rum and redstripe against another nordie team who’s sole intention is to pull drag and hit off the ball.
Don’t know what game your watching. The hits off the ball have been 50:50.
Eh cavan is in the south of Ireland Einstein
fergal reilly should count himself lucky to share a pitch with these wonderful dublin footballers instead of going around like a drunk at a wedding looking for a fight.
That was stared by the Dublin man on the ground. You’re incredibly anti ulster football
And then mdma was the first man to get involved.
And who look for a figth at a wedding
ah lorcan stop it now.
fergal reilly would.
it’s north of me ya tit
@Alan b..: that explains why the dubs were late they looked at a map and headed north. When did this geographical transplant take place.
don’t be a tit like alan cavan play in ulster which is up north so they are nordies.
Cavan is not in Northern Ireland you don’t cross the border or use sterling
I didn’t say it was in Northern Ireland .
What do you mean by nordie then?if you are calling them that cos they’re north of you does that mean someone from cork would class Dublin as a nordie team
if they wanted to yes beacuse they would be northern to a Cork person now cavan is in ulster and part of the Republic of Ireland beacuse the brits didn’t want the kip so yes you are nordies which we where stuck with.
Stop you’re just embarrassing yourself
What part of Dublin are you from?
what difference does it make?
cavan play in the ulster champions with the other 8 nordie counties it’s no big deal just accept it is the way it is don’t be embarrassed alan.
All the complaints about dublins fans. Have any other county brought a few thousand fans with them today ?
@Gavin Byrne: In comparison Dublin have a fan base of about 10 times what other counties have. So of course they will bring large numbers with them.
Fair play today they really brought a fantastic atmosphere and plenty of money to Cavan town today
That a few time in the last three years the cavan has been delayed because of the fans.
If the dubs can’t make it to croke park on time how do you expect them to make it to cavan on time
@Lorcán Coyle: Should know by now that nothing in Cavan ever starts on time, nearest fifteen minutes, sure that’ll do.!!!
Ref jersey looks too like Dubs
We’ll save that excuse for later
Massive achievement if Roscommon can some how stay up in Division 1.
Lorcan are u watching the match