'I owe Klopp everything' – Alexander-Arnold hails Liverpool manager's influence

Trent Alexander-Arnold has hailed the impact that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has had on his career, explaining that he owes his boss “everything”.

The academy product made his debut under the German, who has been at Anfield for four years, and has developed into one of the game’s outstanding right-backs, winning the Champions League with the Reds at the end of last season.

And the 21-year-old admits that he does not know where he would be had it not been for the former Borussia Dortmund coach.

Speaking on international duty, he explained what he owes to the influence of Klopp: “Everything, really. Without him, who knows what would have happened.

“He's the one that's given me the most opportunities - more opportunities than I could even ask for.

“He's put a lot of trust and faith in me personally and I've tried to repay him every time he's done that.”

The England man says, however, it is not just himself who has benefitted from the manager’s interest in youth, as the whole project was given a lift.

“Within his first few weeks he was down at the academy watching the young lads, and that almost gave us a bit more faith and gave a statement to the club that he is going to use young players and give us those chances,” he said.

“He's shown over the four-year period that he has given those young players their chances and given them opportunities and obviously I'm one of the youngsters that have been given them.

“A massive thanks to him, and hopefully there will be four more years of success.”

Liverpool have made an express start to the Premier League season, forging an early eight-point advantage over the pack and making them red-hot favourites to lift the title after winning all of their first eight matches of the campaign.

When domestic action returns after the international break, Klopp’s side will tackle old rivals Manchester United, who are in a period of contrasting fortunes, with the Red Devils currently languishing in 12th in the standings, already 15 points distant of the in-form Anfield club.