Trent Alexander-Arnold just added a lot of fuel to the fire of the Liverpool-Manchester City rivalry. The England star, largely considered the best right back in the world, took a swipe at Man City’s failure to ever win the UEFA Champions League, despite their dominance in domestic competition.
Take a look at this bulletin board material- TAA will no doubt hear it from the City guys when England camp convenes the next time.
“We don’t feel disappointed that we haven’t won enough trophies, as the ones we have won are the biggest and best you can get your hands on,” he said at a press conference on Tuesday ahead of the round-of-16 first leg against Inter Milan. (Preview material for that match available here and here)
“Not making any digs, but you look at Man City’s amazing team and they haven’t been able to lift the Champions League.
“They won a couple of Prems but haven’t been able to win the Champions League. We’ve won both over the last few years and it shows you we can do it in both competitions.
“Not making any digs”? Hahahahaha. Yeah, right. The thing that will really needle City and their fans is his you can compete on both fronts component of his remarks.
Alexander-Arnold, currently the Premier League leader in assists, will certainly get a lot of blowback from all this. He was a big part of the LFC teams that claimed the 2019 Champions League and the 2020 Premier League titles.
He wasn’t done firing shots, as he went on to say what the standards at Anfield are.
“There is an expectation now, as a team and players, to win trophies. One trophy a season minimum is what we have to achieve. With the squad and manager we have, we should be winning trophies,” Alexander-Arnold continued.
“It is expected now. It is not the stage where we are happy to get in finals and it is a day out. There is an expectation now to want to do it every season.”
Liverpool currently trail Manchester City by nine points in the league, but the Reds have a game in hand on the table toppers. City takes on Sporting Lisbon in the UCL round of 16 later today. (Preview material here and here)
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.