Trent Alexander-Arnold hailed for quickly taken corner
Trent Alexander-Arnold said the quickly taken corner that led to Liverpool's decisive fourth goal in their incredible 4-0 victory over Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final yesterday morning (Singapore time) was pure instinct.
The 20-year-old right-back had already helped set up Liverpool's second goal with a pass for Georginio Wijnaldum when, with the aggregate score tied at 3-3, the ball went out behind the Barcelona goal in the 79th minute.
Alexander-Arnold, seeing the Spanish club's defenders still getting organised, feigned to walk away from the corner before racing back to whip the ball to the unmarked Divock Origi, who clipped it past Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
"I think it was just instinctive," Alexander-Arnold told BT Sport.
"It was just one of those moments where you see the opportunity and obviously Div was switched on to finish it off.
"It probably came at him a bit fast but he's a top player, scored two goals for us tonight and I think it's one of them where everyone will remember this moment."
His manager Juergen Klopp called the goal a moment of genius, adding that it happened so quickly that even he was left stunned.
He said: "We all know that you need luck in these moments or a genius moment like Trent Alexander-Arnold.
"Wow. I saw the ball flying into the net but I had no clue who took the corner and who scored because it was too quick for me.
"Now I saw it back and it's just incredible."
Barcelona's former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez said his side defended like "schoolboys" for the goal but former Barca midfielder Cesc Fabregas disagreed.
He tweeted: "People tell me it's bad defending, I'm telling you it's pure intelligence and vision."
Former Liverpool player and manager Graeme Souness, meanwhile, praised the ball boy who got the ball to Alexander-Arnold swiftly, saying: "Watch the ball boy here, he puts it on the spot, watch how quickly.
"Two season tickets for this little fella, two fabulous tickets for the final for that little fella!"
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