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Klopp: Trent will play 'wherever it is best' for Reds
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Carl Markham
Press Association
Trent Alexander-Arnold was Liverpool's hero against Fulham
Trent Alexander-Arnold was Liverpool's hero against Fulham

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is not prepared to reassign Trent Alexander-Arnold as a midfielder and stressed he will continue to use his vice-captain as best befits his side.

The 25-year-old was hugely influential in Sunday’s dramatic late comeback to beat Fulham 4-3, stepping into the number six position for the final 30 minutes and scoring the 88th-minute winner.

Alexander-Arnold’s development from an attacking right-back criticised for his defensive short-comings to a hybrid role continues on an upward curve since it was first implemented in April.

But it has progressed this season with him deployed as a genuine holding midfielder against Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup, again for half-an-hour in the second half.

There is a growing debate about how the creative abilities of the England international, whom national boss Gareth Southgate now seems to consider a midfielder in his set-up, could be used more permanently in central midfield.

Klopp, however, has no intention of listening to that.

He said: "I'm not stubborn and don’t want to play him midfield, not at all, but I am not part of the discussion.

"You can discuss it as much as you want but it will not have any influence.

"We still have to make decisions on what is best for the team and Trent sees it exactly the same way.

“He wants to play and from my point of view he has to be influential and we have to make sure we help him with the positioning.

"He became one of the most successful players in the history of Liverpool, in the recent history, playing as a right-back. He became a Premier League player as a right-back. He can play more inside definitely.

"He will play where it is best for us. What do we have available? Is Joey [Joe Gomez] there, is Conor [Bradley] there? If they both are there do we have to play one of them at left-back because Kostas [Tsimikas] cannot play all the games?

"Yes, Trent can play midfield but we always knew that Trent can play the role we gave him now very well as well.

"If you want to be good he has to be influential from all different areas because it just makes us better if he plays a good game."

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LiverpoolTrent Alexander-ArnoldPremier LeagueEngland
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