Gary Lineker points out Liverpool player struggling most without Trent Alexander-Arnold

Liverpool supporters might still feel sore about how things ended, but there is no getting around just how talented a passer Trent Alexander-Arnold is. Few players in world football can match what he brings with the ball at his feet.

Even from right-back, he had a knack for creating clear chances and could break open a game with a single pass.

Mohamed Salah was one of the biggest beneficiaries of having him behind him, with the pair striking up a strong connection on the right side.

With ‘TAA’ now gone, Salah appears to be feeling that absence, which Lineker thinks is contributing into Liverpool’s recent struggles.

Speaking on The Rest Is Football Podcast, he said: “I think also in terms of creativity as much as anything else. I think they are really missing Trent.

“Before that, Trent would obviously go forward and they might get exposed because of that, people would go on about that, but what he gives you going the other way is impossible to replace.

“There is not another player in world football I can think of that plays that position in the way he plays it offensively.

“I also think Mo is missing him. That connection they had, yes sometimes they would get exposed down that side but they would have someone to cover. Last season it was mostly Szoboszlai, before that it would be Jordan Henderson because they know.

“I always said he is worth the weight in gold going forward and I always just thought ‘stop worrying about the tiny mistakes he makes defensively,’ because what he gives you going the other way is incredible.”

Liverpool’s current right-back options are very different to Alexander-Arnold

As Lineker pointed out, Alexander-Arnold is a rare and irreplaceable talent. Liverpool’s current options offer a distinctly different skillset.

Salah benefited from having Trent nearby, always available for a quick pass back or able to deliver an early cross. His overlapping runs also gave defenders another problem to think about.

In contrast, Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley rely more on their pace to reach the byline and look to cut balls back into the box. While effective at times, it does not offer the same unpredictability or variety that Alexander-Arnold brought.

This is not necessarily a call for Alexander-Arnold to come back, but it does highlight just how significant his departure has been. It is becoming clear that replacing what he offered will not be easy.