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Man United legend Denis Irwin gives his verdict on Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool and his defending

Srinivas Sadhanand

Thu 23 January 2025 9:15, UK Updated Thu 23 January 2025 12:11, UK

After his illustrious spell at Manchester United, Denis Irwin is widely remembered as one of the greatest full-backs to have ever graced the Premier League.

Much like Trent Alexander-Arnold, the United 🌳legend was blessed with the technical ability to take pin🦄point set-pieces and play on both flanks.

The Irishman was ahead of his time, ꧂considering he played in an era where technically gifted full-backs who couওld be play on either side were a rarity.

But Denis Irwin managed to have a remarkable career in a Manchester United shirt, winning seven league titles, two FA Cups an🌳d the Champions League in the Red Devils’ unforgettable treble-winning campaign🦄.

Alexander-Arnold h💮as been deemed a unique full-back and had it not been for a trailblazer like the fo💦rmer Wolves defender, players like him may not have b🎀een handed the chance to play at the top level.

But Alexander-Arnold, whose technique was lauded by Dominic S🌟olanke has taken on the mantle of th꧑e 🌄modern-day full-back and is the gold standard for other players in his position nowadays.

Denis Irwin compares Trent Alexander-Arnold to David Beckham

Real Madrid are c💃hasing Alexander-Arnold’s signature, which goes to show how highly he is rated by some of the biggest and best names i💙n the world of footbal💯l.

Denis Irwin was quizzed 🍨about the full-backs in today’s day and age that he admires o♓n Stick To Football’s The Overlap show.

As Irwin ꧒was asked about Alexander-Arnold, his instantly reply wꦉas: “Brilliant.”

The retired full-back went on to liken the Liverpool vice-captain to David Beckham: “Well, I think he’s David Beckham-esque in his delivery, you’ve got to say that. If you’re looking at the full pict💙ure as well, you know as a full-back, you can see the whole picture and his delivery is as good as I’ve seen anybody in the game, it really is.”

However, Roy Keane has slated Alexander-Arnold’s defending, a part of his game that tends to come under criticism and Denis Irwin admits that the 26꧟-year-old can improve in this regard.

“You question that but that’s the modern𒁏-day full-back, isn’t it? United had kind of got at him last month, didn’t they in that kind of area.”

Denis Irwin added: “He should learn as you grow up and get better defensively but just in terms of attacking, he’s a modern-day full-back💜, isn’t he, he loves to go forward. And if you’re playing for anybody in the Premier League, you’ve got to be very comfortable on the ball now.⛎”

In Liverpool’s recent 2-0 win against Brentford, Alexander-Arnold changed the game by assisting Darwin Nunez’s first goal as he continues t💞o be a force to be reckoned with offensively.

David Beckham said Trent Alexander-Arnold is “very similar” to him

Alexander-Arnold would certainly appreciate Denis Irwin’s feedback and would feel honoured to have been compared to David Beckha🌜m by one of hisꦗ former teammate.

Beckham himself said on Rio Ferdinan🅠d: Presents in October that the Reds hero is a sim💜ilar player to him.

David Beckham explained: “I suppose if there was one player where I look at and I think he is very similar🃏 in how he delivers the ball, he’s very similar in the way he crosses the ball or passes, it has🎉 to be Trent.”

“In all honestly, he’s an exceptional player and when I look at player and I see myself in the way he puts the ball in, in what he seesꦐ, in the long balls he plays, he plaᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚys balls that some players don’t even think about.”

“And that’s what I love about him as a player.”

Interestingly, Alexander-Arno🌌ld’s passing has been deemed better than Bꦺeckham’s by Gary Lineker in the past.

The Champio꧅ns League winner has been likene🐓d to other English icons in the past too,

Stuart Pearce compared Alexander-Arnold to Gleဣnn Hoddle as well, whiไch goes to show the incrꦏedible heights he has already hit in his career.