Jurgen Klopp still bemused by criticism of Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp continues to be bemused at critics who claim Trent Alexander-Arnold cannot defend.

The England right-back was a decisive force in the 1-0 win over West Ham which kept up the pressure in the title race, providing the cross for Sadio Mane’s winner and then effecting a brilliant goal-line clearance at the other end.

“Absolutely, I don’t understand that, that’s true, but I don’t think I will change that with whatever I will say,” said Klopp when asked if he knew why the 23-year-old’s defensive game continued to attract scrutiny.

“But if he couldn’t defend, he would not play here – at least not that in that position.

“He improved in all departments and defending of course as well, but he is that young that he can improve and has to improve, but yes, his defending is not a problem we have.”

There are no such questions about his ability at the other end of the pitch and he proved it again with a 16th assist of the season.

That equalled club great Steven Gerrard’s record for a single season and beat Alexander-Arnold’s own previous best from 2018-19 and 2019-20.

“When you see him playing I think we help him a little bit with positioning and stuff like this,” added Klopp.

“We try to bring him into positions, formation-wise, where he can be that influential but of course it’s all about him and his skill-set and his quality and his right foot and his overview.

It’s all about him and his skill-set and his quality and his right foot and his overview- Jurgen Klopp on Trent Alexander-Arnold

“That’s it, that he is really in the situation and focused to set up goals in these moments, that he knows where are the dangerous situations and positions in the opposition box or around that and really tries to bring