Jurgen Klopp Praises Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Record-Breaking Assist for Mo Salah

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hailed Trent Alexander-Arnold’s assist for Mohamed Salah’s goal against Arsenal as “the best pass I saw in my life.” The assist also saw Alexander-Arnold equal a Premier League record.

Record-Breaking Assist

Alexander-Arnold’s inch-perfect ball over the top set up Salah to score, marking his seventh goal contribution in the last eight games. In total, he has scored two goals and provided five assists, averaging one every 86.3 minutes across all competitions since the October international break.

Although it was only his third assist in the Premier League this season, it saw him equal Andy Robertson for an all-time record.

57 – Trent Alexander-Arnold has now assisted 57 Premier League goals, the joint-most by a defender in the competition’s history, alongside teammate Andy Robertson. Postmen. pic.twitter.com/MAbDmeCp1m

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 23, 2023

Alexander-Arnold and Robertson now hold the joint record for the most Premier League assists by a defender in the competition’s history, with 57 each. This surpasses the previous record held by Leighton Baines with 53 assists.

Notably, no other defender in the Premier League’s history has recorded more assists since its inception in 1992 than Liverpool’s full-back duo. They are followed by Graeme Le Saux with 44 assists and Ian Harte and Andy Hinchcliffe, who are tied with 36 assists each.

While Ashley Young is listed as the top assist provider in the Premier League charts with 71 assists, it is worth noting that he primarily played as a winger, as did Antonio Valencia with 46 assists.

Among Liverpool players, John Arne Riise is the next-closest to Alexander-Arnold and Robertson with 30 assists. The closest currently active players are Kyle Walker with 33 assists, Kieran Trippier with 32 assists, and Aaron Cresswell with 30 assists.

Given Alexander-Arnold’s young age of 25, he appears poised to set a record that may never be beaten by another Premier League defender. His 57 assists have come in 214 games, while Robertson reached the same tally in 260 games.

Acknowledging Alexander-Arnold’s Achievement

Despite the focus on Alexander-Arnold’s missed opportunity to score against Arsenal, it is important to acknowledge his outstanding feat. With one more assist, he will surpass his long-time teammate Robertson and claim the top spot for most Premier League assists by a defender.