Trent Alexander-Arnold reveals he 'should have been sent off' on Liverpool debut as Reds superstar reflects on biggest football influences

The England international has become a stalwart in Jurgen Klopp's team over the years, cementing his place as one of the best in the world in his position. One thing that rarely creeps into Alexander-Arnold's game, though, is too much aggression, but that wasn't the case in his first-ever Liverpool match. Playing against Tottenham in the League Cup in October 2016, the Reds defender admitted to being overly "excited" at kick-off, leading him to almost seeing red "within about five minutes".

Speaking in an interview with Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher for The Athletic, the full-back said: "I remember making my debut against Tottenham. I used to listen to young players talking about their debut and how excited they got. I’ve always been quite a level-headed player on the pitch, cool and calm, but within about five minutes, I should have been sent off! It’s the excitement of it. Your emotions are running high. I remember coming off the pitch and being hugged by the gaffer. I thought even if I never get to step on that pitch again, at least I can say I played for Liverpool."

Alexander-Arnold has already cemented his place among Liverpool royalty, racking up a staggering 302 appearances for the senior team before his 26th birthday. He is widely considered as one of England's most naturally gifted players, and he credits his family, Jurgen Klopp and other Liverpool management figures for shaping his footballing career. On his biggest influences, he added: "My brothers and my parents off the pitch. They never let me get ahead of myself when everything shot off so quickly.

"Then the manager, [assistant] Pep Lijnders, [academy director] Alex Inglethorpe, they were all very influential in the way I approached the game and in terms of how they moulded me as a footballer. As a young player, all you can ever ask for is an opportunity and the manager gave me that. Then it was down to me to take it and keep gaining Jurgen’s trust. It’s rare in modern football to come straight through the academy and go into the first team without going out on loan. It’s not easy to do but I’ve always had the right people around me at the right times making the best decisions for me."

The England star has been sidelined for Liverpool's last 10 matches with a knee injury, having not featured since mid-February. It is expected that he will return to full fitness later this month as Klopp's side chase Premier League and Europa League glory to add to their Carabao Cup crown.