Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool squad will keep Trent Alexander Arnold in check with ‘banter’

Jurgen Klopp is confident that Liverpool’s dressing room will help Trent Alexander-Arnold handle the pressure of what looks like being his elevation to the role of England’s permanent, first-choice right-back.

Gareth Southgate’s decision to axe veteran Kyle Walker from his England squad on Thursday has paved the way for the in-form Liverpool defender to make the position his own and add to his six caps.

And Klopp has no doubt the defender, who does not turn 21 until October, has the maturity to cope with that added responsibility.

Klopp said: “The group sorts most of these things. Not that Trent needs help in this, he is a really mature boy.

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“But all the other guys if someone looks like they could fly a bit more than usual then they get it back immediately with the banter. So there is no problem.

“From this point of view he is not 20 he is 25-26. But thank God he is 20! He a really mature – much more than I was when I was 20!”

‘That was unbelievable’

Klopp has been Alexander-Arnold’s biggest cheerleader since bringing him into the first team and believes has done enough to make the position with England his own, too.

Klopp added: “I am happy for him if he now has that position and is a bit closer to the first line-up. I think the last England game before the summer that was exceptional.

“After that game I thought ‘wow’ that was unbelievable he was involved in pretty much every offensive situation.”