Trent Alexander-Arnold has hit back at those who have criticised his defensive credentials - insisting that his performances have not received the level of credit they deserve after defending "really well" at times this season.
The Reds' No.66 has been the subject of large amounts of scrutiny during the opening months of the Premier League campaign as Jurgen Klopp's slide have endured a collective hangover following last season's mammoth quadruple bid.
Injuries and a joint lack of form across the team has resulted in Alexander-Arnold being scapegoated for his performances against Manchester United, Napoli, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in particular, with Sky Sports pundit and former England right-back Gary Neville declaring that it would be a "risk" for Gareth Southgate to play Alexander-Arnold in a knockout game at the World Cup this winter.
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Speaking to ITV ahead of England's opening match against Iran on Monday, Alexander-Arnold hit back at such claims and insisted that there has been a heightened spotlight on his displays.
"I would say there has been a lot of spotlight on it," said the defender. "I’d say there’s been a massive magnifying glass on that aspect of my game and I would say, for me, obviously for any part of my game there are improvements to be made, and there are decisions I could have made better.
"There are instances where I could have defended a lot better. But, at the same time, there are instances where I have defended really well and that’s the way the game is."
He added: "I think a lot of people like to shout about the mistakes and the ones I could have done better on, rather than the ones I’ve done well on. That’s just the way it is."
Last week, Liverpool boss Klopp responded to the assertions from Neville by referencing Alexander-Arnold's track record in knockout competitions for Liverpool and later reminded nit-pickers that the right-back has "won quite a few finals and important games where you have to defend against world-class players".
However, on the topic of his international career, Alexander-Arnold as vowed that there is more to come from him and hinted that a lack of opportunities has made it difficult to showcase his ability for Southgate's England side on a regular basis.
“Not the best football I’ve ever played, probably not the worst either," added Alexander-Arnold, when asked to evaluate his 17 international appearances. “Just somewhere in the middle that is not amazing, but not the worst, really. It could be a lot better.
“But when you think about it, I think it’s been 17 or 18 games now and I think, in the grand scheme of things, that’s half a season, if you’re going to put it in that sense."
The 24-year-old added: “Players have average half of seasons. Hopefully, the second half of the season will be a lot better for me.”
Alexander-Arnold could be handed a rare international start on Monday afternoon as Kyle Walker continues to recover from his recent groin complication, having not played since early October. The Three Lions face Iran in their Group B opener before ties against the United States and Wales follow.
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