Trent Alexander-Arnold Reveals the Toughest Winger He Faced
Liverpool vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold recently took part in the club’s ‘We Are Liverpool’ podcast to kick off season two, in an in-depth interview alongside Jan Molby. During the podcast, Alexander-Arnold was asked to name the best player he faced that people wouldn’t know about. His answer? Brandon Barker.
Who is Brandon Barker?
Brandon Barker is a 27-year-old winger who broke through at Manchester City. He made his debut as a substitute in a 5-1 defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup in 2016, but that was his sole appearance for their first team. He then went on to have loan spells at Rotherham, NAC Breda, Hibernian and Preston before moving permanently to Rangers. Steven Gerrard described him, as well as Liverpool loanee Sheyi Ojo, as a player who could “open the door” for his side in the final third.
Barker then went on to make 27 appearances at Rangers and a temporary move to Oxford United before signing a short-term deal with Reading at the start of 2022. He then headed to Cyprus to join Omonia that summer, but with Neil Lennon sacked as Omonia manager soon after, Barker agreed to terminate his contract with the club in August after just over a year.
Why Did Alexander-Arnold Choose Barker?
Alexander-Arnold faced Barker when he was an U18s player and Barker was playing for City’s U21s. Alexander-Arnold recalls coming off at 60 minutes and it being “the opponent that I think just destroyed me”. He goes on to say that he had never seen someone move so quickly and so sharp and so effectively.
Alexander-Arnold’s experience shows how difficult it can be to establish yourself at a top club and Barker is now a free agent with 156 senior appearances across nine different clubs, scoring 15 goals and assisting 15.
What’s Next for Barker?
It is likely that Barker will receive interest in his services back in England or Scotland, but Alexander-Arnold’s experience shows how difficult it can be to establish yourself at a top club. It remains to be seen what the future holds for Barker, but one thing is certain – he has made an impression on Alexander-Arnold that will not soon be forgotten.