There was something strangely familiar about the opening goal in yesterday's heavyweight clash between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
A perfectly executed corner routine gave Pep Guardiola's side the lead midway through the first half. Kevin De Bruyne swung the ball in low to the near post, Nathan Ake cleverly blocked off Alexis Mac Allister and John Stones pounced to score.
For many watching, there were echoes of Trent Alexander-Arnold's low corner that set up Divock Origi as Liverpool made an incredible comeback to reach the 2019 Champions League final.
In an exclusive interview with FourFourTwo, Alexander-Arnold reminisced about how his instinctive delivery took advantage of a lapse in concentration from Barcelona five years ago, providing the winning goal of a truly incredible night at Anfield.
“It was just natural,” he says, shrugging off the significance of his quick thinking. “I felt like the big occasions might alter the way I thought, or affect me in a different way. Whereas when I got to those big occasions, I felt like that’s where I belonged.
“That’s what brought the best out of me – rather than downing tools a little bit and not being able to perform to the level, it was more I had to elevate myself to a high level. Those sorts of games naturally demand you to play the best that you can and think on the spot, and have those moments of brilliance – I was able to come up with one.
Alexander-Arnold's assist that night combined fearless confidence with pinpoint execution. Trailing 3-0 from the away leg, Liverpool had levelled up the tie on aggregate when the young right-back caught everyone by surprise.
The Barcelona defence switched off as they waited for their opponents to flood the box. Alexander-Arnold spotted his opportunity and fired a low cross into the near post where Origi was on hand to turn it home.
“I just thought, ‘It’s there’,” he reflects. “I’m someone who doesn’t fear mistakes. It’s not something that will change the way I play the game. If I believe there’s a chance to create an opportunity or do something to help the team win a game, then I don’t second guess my judgement on it.
“In that split second, you weigh up all of the options. Do you wait for your centre-backs to come up, whip the ball into the penalty area and hopefully put it on Virg’s head?
"Or do you trust your gut and not think, ‘If I cross it now and Divock doesn’t turn, Barça will clear it, or it might go straight through the box and I’ll get shouted at’. Those sorts of things never really change the way I make my decisions.”
This one paid off in spectacular fashion, sending Liverpool through to the final against Tottenham Hotspur, and signalled just what a special player Alexander-Arnold would become.
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