Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann has defended Trent Alexander-Arnold's form this season after the first "blip" of his Liverpool career.
The Englishman has not hit the heights of his usual standards this term amid mass disruption in the Liverpool defence.
With Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip struggling with injuries, Jurgen Klopp's side have rarely been able to name a settled defence.
Alexander-Arnold has had his own injury problems too, which saw him miss a month of action after picking up a hamstring injury against Manchester City.
After two years of performing as the world's best right-back, the 22-year-old is enduring the first dip in form of his Liverpool career.
However, Hamann insists any criticism of Alexander-Arnold is "ridiculous" given the number of games he has played for club and country at such a young age.
“The only thing that surprises me is that the blip didn’t come earlier,” former Liverpool midfielder Hamann told Stadium Astro when discussing Alexander-Arnold’s struggles.
“If you play on a weekly basis, or every three days, the standard he has set has been exceptional. He has been faultless for two years.
“He has played over 100 games and is only 22. It is understandable that there has been a blip. I expected it to come a lot earlier.
“At the moment, there are hardly any other options at right-back. I think he needs a break but with the injuries and the players that are out, at the moment the manager feels he can’t give him a rest.
“I think the criticism towards him is ridiculous.
"Both full-backs have probably been the best two full-backs in the world in the last two years. Now to have a go at a player who is still very young because he has had a few average games and hasn’t had an assist for a few months is ridiculous.
“I think he’s a quality player, so is[Andy] Robertson, and fatigue is just catching up with the pair of them. Once they have a break will we see different players again.
“I hope he stays at Liverpool because at the moment there are not too many full-backs around that can do what Alexander-Arnold does.”
