Liverpool legend John Barnes has explained why the club’s current woes cannot be blamed on Trent Alexander-Arnold - and has some words of advice for Mohamed Salah.
The Reds ’ poor start to the season continued on Sunday when they were beaten 3-2 by Arsenal . Despite goals from Darwin Nunez and Roberto Firmino, an early Gabriel Martinelli strike and a Bukayo Saka brace handed the Reds a defeat in the capital.
Jurgen Klopp opted to go with the same line-up that had beaten Rangers a few days earlier in the Champions League. Thiago started in a midfield two alongside Jordan Henderson, with the German utilising four forwards in North London.
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Alexander-Arnold was replaced at half-time by Joe Gomez, after suffering from an ankle injury. However, before he was replaced he was criticised for his role in Arsenal’s opening two goals.
Barnes has explained why Alexander-Arnold does not deserve to be blamed for all of Liverpool’s current defensive issues. The Reds legend went on to say why a different area of the pitch could be a factor.
“Liverpool and their defenders have played in a particular way the last four years with Mane, Firmino and Salah,” Barnes told BonusCodeBets .
“The three midfield players are three hard working individual players. Now with Thiago and Harvey Elliot and people like that, the midfield isn't as defensively strong which means that they can't defend the back four and Trent as much as they used to.
“Trent is still coming forward, he's never been in a team for his defensive qualities but it's more to do with the fact that I don't believe the midfield is strong enough to protect the back four. Which is why teams are now getting to Liverpool.
“It's not Trent's problem because it was the way that he formulated a strategy to play with Trent as an attack in midfield but expect others to defend.
“It's not that the team and Trent has changed, they're just going through a few teething problems. I don't see Trent as an issue in that team, he'll sort it out.”
Barnes also had some words of advice for Salah, who hasn’t scored in his last five league matches. The Egyptian was substituted was a little over 20 minutes left to play, and Barnes says that the forward needs to learn to adapt to a new role.
“Salah has to get used to playing as a centre-forward, when he was playing with Firmino who is a withdrawn centre-forward, Mo Salah scores goals by making runs from out to in into a vacated space where there's no centre-forward,” said Barnes.
“Now they've got Nunez who's a centre-forward, so the way that Mo is going to play has got to be different. He can't play the way he did with Firmino, so he has to get used to that.
“It's a transitional period in the way that they're changing the way they play slightly so everybody has to get used to it.
“Mo will be fine, he's finding his feet in terms of playing in a new system and a new style but that might mean he won't score as many goals.
“Where you've got a new centre-forward like Nunez who's got to be the main goal-scorer, he should be, it means Mo will score less goals.”
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