Gary Lineker leaps to the defence of ‘superb’ Liverpool player after clip emerges on Twitter during Inter clash

Add as preferred source on Google

Gary Lineker leapt to the defence of Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold during the Champions League meeting with Inter Milan.

The Reds ran out 2-0 winners over the Serie A champions, Jurgen Klopp’s charges getting both goals late in the second half.

Liverpool were the better side for most of the first half, though they couldn’t break the deadlock.

However, Inter hit the ground running in the second half and had the Reds under the cosh time and time again.

Jurgen Klopp made a triple substitution on the hour in a bid to gain back control of the game.

Naby Keita, Luis Diaz and Jordan Henderson came on for Mane, Fabinho and Harvey Elliott.

Klopp’s decision paid dividends as Liverpool finally broke the deadlock in the 75th minute.

Roberto Firmino connected with Andrew Robertson’s corner to flick the ball into the far corner of the net.

And eight minutes later, Liverpool got their second.

Virgil van Dijk headed the ball down from a free-kick and Konate did well to move out the way near the penalty spot as Salah rifled home.

Prior to Liverpool’s second, Ivan Perisic came close to equalising for Inter.

The Reds failed to clear the ball properly and the ball fell to the Croatian.

Alexander-Arnold closed him down but couldn’t prevent Perisic from getting the shot away, though it went over.

When a clip of the effort surfaced on Twitter, the 23-year-old came under some criticism.

But Lineker wasn’t having any of it:

“His deliveries from the wing, from set pieces, the positions he gets into, the quality of his crossing and his passing are all absolutely superb,” Alan Shearer recently wrote in The Athletic.

“To be in that Liverpool team must be dreamland for Salah, Mane and Diogo Jota.”

Alexander-Arnold is a top player, but all players will sometimes misjudge things or make efforts on the pitch. It happens.

And it’s not like it cost Liverpool anyway. Fair play to Lineker for standing up for him.