Jurgen Klopp waited months for unthinkable Liverpool moment before Trent Alexander-Arnold injury blow

For the first time since 2018, groans that accompany word of a Trent Alexander-Arnold injury at Liverpool are perhaps not as loud as they once would have been.

The Reds vice-captain is one of the best players in world football and has been first-choice under Jurgen Klopp in a Liverpool side that has won every major honour over the past six years.

But the England international will miss his first chance of silverware since being promoted to the role of vice-captain last summer. Aggravating a knee injury in last weekend’s 3-1 win over Burnley, it has been confirmed that the 25-year-old will now miss the League Cup final against Chelsea later this month.

In the past, such news would have left supporters practically inconsolable. While Liverpool could call upon James Milner, Joe Gomez, and Neco Williams as stand-ins at various times, any prolonged stint in the starting XI in the absence of Alexander-Arnold would have been met with anxiety.

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But the emergence of Conor Bradley, along with Gomez’s much-improved fortunes at full-back this season, has at least softened the latest blow somewhat. After all, while the widespread immediate reaction to losing Alexander-Arnold injury from supporters was to curse the setback, it was followed by them sharing their delight for the Northern Irishman that he would get a genuine chance to start a final at Wembley.

As one door closes, another one opens. The senior right-back's enforced absence absence is no longer as catastrophic as it once would have been for Liverpool.

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