Former West Ham boss Slaven Bilic has labelled Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson as “the best pair of full-backs in modern football.”
Bilic was speaking after Liverpool ’s hard-fought 1-0 win over his old side at Anfield on Saturday, which saw the Reds close the gap on league leaders Manchester City to three points.
Alexander-Arnold provided the assist for the only goal of the game as he fizzed the ball low across the box for Sadio Mane to finish.
And Bilic lauded Jurgen Klopp’s full-backs at the final whistle for their range of passing, after the defensive pair had also helped Liverpool grind out a vital clean sheet.
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“They are great. I mean they are playmakers as full-backs,” he told Premier League Productions .
“The way they pass the ball, the decisions they are making, the balls through the lines. It’s unbelievable because when the opponent is pressing you, they let the ball go wide.
“And to have the privilege to have wide players, playmakers, who can play great balls - not just balls to the midfield - but brilliant balls to your strikers that these two are doing week in, week out for four years.
“They are the best pair of full-backs in modern football.”
The ex-Croatia manager is not wrong to praise Robertson and Alexander-Arnold as attacking outlets, with the pair having recorded a combined 28 assists already across all competitions.
However, even by his own standards, Alexander-Arnold is enjoying an incredible season.
Mane’s goal meant Alexander-Arnold recorded his 16th assist of the campaign, equalling his highest-ever tally, two months before the end of the season.
When the right-back was told by Sky Sports that he had registered his best-ever tally, Robertson said the assist had been a miss-hit shot.
“Like Robbo said, I have dragged it but I try and contribute as much as I can for the team,” Alexander-Arnold admitted .
“I think we both do. We pride ourselves on that.
“We want to help win games. Kind of changing the game from a full-back perspective and going and winning games for the team, so I’m happy to contribute.”
