Liverpool FC Thread #144:- 2017-18 PL Campaign

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Trent Alexander-Arnold has a “huge future” at Liverpool and will keep getting better, according to Kop legend Steven Gerrard.

The young Scouser announced himself on the big stage on Tuesday night, scoring a superb free kick as the Reds beat Hoffenheim 2-1 in their Champions League play-off first leg.

It was some way for the 18-year-old to mark his European debut, and earned him gushing praise from manager Jurgen Klopp post-match.

Gerrard, of course, has long spoken of the West Derby-born teenager's talent. He identified Alexander-Arnold as one to watch in his autobiography, and speaking on BT Sport after the game the former Liverpool skipper and current U18s coach gave his verdict.

“Big talent, and he's got a huge future,” Gerrard said. "It's great that he's English as well.

“He's already breathing down Nathaniel Clyne's neck for that position, and Liverpool have got big strength in that area.

“It's a special night, special performance. The big thing for me is that the manager has got confidence in him.

“He threw him in at Old Trafford last season, big arena in front of 75,000 and he handled himself really well. So I'm sure he had no doubts about putting him in tonight, it was a huge game, intense game.

“He's an athlete, he gets up and down very well, does all the basics very well. This kid's obsessed with improving every single day. He's only going to get better in the future.”

Alexander-Arnold admitted after the game that he had needed “egging on” to take the 35th-minute free kick which gave his side the lead. Klopp stated later that he had urged the teenager to take it.

And Gerrard said: “Credit to the kid, he's stayed behind to practice his set-pieces after training, and if he's good enough then why not take them?!”

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TAA VERY MUCH!

Trent and family might want to grab a few copies of the ECHO today..

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Liverpool forward Sheyi Ojo has joined Fulham on a season-long loan.

The 20-year-old completed the temporary switch to the Championship side today and will spend the duration of 2017-18 with the west London club.

Fulham have begun the new campaign with successive 1-1 draws against Norwich and Reading.

Ojo, who has previously spent time on loan with Wigan Athletic and Wolverhampton Wanderers, has made 13 appearances for the Reds first team since his debut at Exeter City back in January 2016.

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From an apparent Liverpool mascot to first-team hero - it's been some rise for Trent Alexander-Arnold ...

The 18-year-old scored his first goal for Liverpool with a beautifully curled free-kick in the first half of Tuesday's Champions League qualifier with Hoffenheim .

So good was the teenager's effort in fact, it forced Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher into posting a picture of himself with what he believed was a young Alexander-Arnold as a mascot back in a League Cup tie at Leeds in 2009.

The picture, which was originally shown on Sky Sports last year, went viral on social media, with Carragher's post being retweeted 18,000 times and 'liked' 50,000.

However, the youngster in shot at Elland Road in September 2009 isn't Alexander-Arnold at all.

The boy in question is in fact 19-year-old Reds fan Dion Simpson, who was stunned to see Sky Sports passing his face off as a young Alexander-Arnold last year.

Dion told the ECHO: "I was a mascot back in 2009 against Leeds away, which is my hometown.

"And then last year Sky put some footage out on Sky Sports News which they thought was Trent, just before the recent EFL Cup game against Leeds last year.

"Then it went viral all last year - and now Carra has brought it back up again!"

Despite seeing thousands of people believing the picture is of Reds right-back Alexander-Arnold and not himself, the student sees the funny side.

"I already seen the footage in 2009 because someone recorded me at the game," he added.

"You could see me in the tunnel, but when they played it last year and thought it was Trent, it was pretty funny.

"And then the big Twitter accounts and newspaper accounts were posting it around on Facebook and Twitter, and it just kept going on for months.

"It's only just died down, but now it's gone even worse because Carra has posted the picture."

Alexander-Arnold burst onto the scene last season under Jurgen Klopp, making his Premier League debut in January's 1-1 draw away to Manchester United.

The 18-year-old has started both games this season due to an injury to Nathaniel Clyne, and the West Derby youngster was elated after the Hoffenheim game .

“It is indescribable to be honest,” he said.

“Special in so many different ways for me personally and I've definitely ticked the box off.

“At first I didn't know it was going to go in but it was well placed and I thought it was a good free-kick and I was happy it went in."

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Gini in Dutch squad but no van Dijk

Liverpool midfielder Gini Wijnaldum is in the Dutch national squad but Southampton’s ‘not for sale’ defender Virgil van Dijk is not.

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Unfinished business.

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