Where Alexander-Arnold should actually rank among PL’s greatest right-backs if he joins Real Madrid – opinion

Despite being just 26, Trent Alexander-Arnold has often been named by fans and pundits alike as one of the greatest right-backs in Premier League history.

The Liverpool defender certainly merits being mentioned alongside the likes of Kyle Walker and Gary Neville to name a few for revolutionising the position in England.

While the Premier League has witnessed other attacking right-backs, none of the players in question have had the impact Trent Alexander-Arnold has — who has been an incredible playmaker from defence for years.

Alexander-Arnold is set to join Real Madrid and he will not have a chance to further cement his legacy in the English top-flight at the end of the season.

Liverpool offered Alexander-Arnold a historic deal but their efforts to tie their academy graduate to a long-term contract were deemed futile as he could now leave them on a free transfer.

• READ MORE: Rafa Benitez delivers honest verdict on Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold amid Real Madrid links

Trent Alexander-Arnold is the Premier League’s second greatest right-back

However, Alexander-Arnold’s legacy as a Liverpool and Premier League great cannot be called into question.

The manner in which the Reds hero has ran games is unlike any other right-back the league has ever seen and perhaps world football as a whole — Gary Lineker prefering Alexander-Arnold’s passing to David Beckham’s as he has been a quarterback of sorts from a defensive position.

Whether it is long switches of play, breaking the lines or producing a special final ball — the West Derby-born technician has it all — providing more assists (64) than any player in Premier League history.

Steve Nicol once claimed Alexander-Arnold “can’t defend” and while that is an exaggeration, it cannot be denied that he is not the best defensively. While every full-back has days where they get ripped to shreds, Alexander-Arnold has plenty more than the likes of Kyle Walker or Gary Neville — who are also regarded as two right-backs right up there amongst the Premier League’s absolute best.

The Champions League winner can be quite a passive defender, often not even tracking back after being beaten — with Virgil van Dijk fuming at Alexander-Arnold against Manchester United for how easy he was to play against.

However, Jurgen Klopp showed the world that despite Alexander-Arnold’s inadequacies at the back at times, it is best to surround him with the likes of Ibrahima Konate and Jordan Henderson to cover for him as not many right-backs in history can produce moments of magic like he consistently has.

But it is worth stressing that a right-back’s job is to bring a balance in their game both offensively and defensively — something Walker and Gary Neville have brought to the table.

While Alexander-Arnold perhaps ousts Neville who was not as impactful in either department as he has been going forward, the Manchester City legend was a truly outstanding defender while arguably having been the league’s best attacking right-back under Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham. With that being the case, the six-time Premier League winner is perhaps the best the league has ever seen over the Real Madrid-bound superstar.

Comparing Alexander-Arnold’s stats to Kyle Walker and Gary Neville

Perhaps one way to decipher which right-back is the Premier League’s greatest is by comparing the three standout players in Alexander-Arnold, Walker and Neville’s respective statistics in the Premier League to each other.

In terms of longevity, Alexander-Arnold has naturally played less league games (254) than Walker (410) and Neville (400). But impressively, his goal contributions (17 goals and 64 assists) are more than both players.

Gary Neville has won the most league titles (eight) and which each player standing out in their own regard, it is difficult to decide which out of the three is the undisputed greatest to grace the English game.