Rio Ferdinand has pinpointed a change that he thinks Pep Guardiola would make with Trent Alexander-Arnold that Jurgen Klopp will not.
Alexander-Arnold was one of few players to put up a valiant fight against Real Madrid on Wednesday night as Liverpool were sent crashing out of the Champions League.
The England international looked to create plenty of chances from the right-hand side as he pushed forward, but his crosses proved futile time after time.
Ahead of the game, there was a debate about his defensive ability, which is thought to have cost him his place in Gareth Southgate’s recent England side.
Speaking on BT Sport, Gary Lineker said: "Brilliant going forward but suddenly there's been question marks about his defending. A real microscope on his performances these days."
To which Rio Ferdinand replied: "I think you've got to look at it one way, it shows you how far he has come over the last couple of years that everyone is honing in on this kid's performances.
“Dissecting it, taking it apart. Yes he has some parts of his game like defending that need to be improved. But what 21/22-year-old hasn't? It's normal.
“It's because he's under the microscope in big games. The kid is an immense talent. He has an ability to find passes that other people, other midfielders, other No.8s in the world, can't find - let alone right-backs.”
This is where it was perhaps raised that Alexander-Arnold could switch positions to move to midfield by Lineker.
"It's funny you mention midfield there,” the former striker said. “I’ve said for years I see him as a midfielder.
“He used to be a midfield player before he was thrust into right back and he stuck there.
“You can see him being a Lahm, Kimmich, even Cancelo at Manchester City. He’s got that within him."
But Ferdinand admitted that it was unlikely to happen under Klopp, compared with the more tactically eccentric Guardiola.
"Yeah but he'll need to play for Pep and that's not going to happen... He's got to stick where he is,” Ferdinand went on.
“I don't think Klopp is going to change him. But what I do notice about this kid, he has character.
“He is under huge pressure and comes up with the winner at Anfield where they have not won for many weeks by the way."
