Robbie Fowler has called for Liverpool fans to rally behind Trent Alexander-Arnold, who's faced intense scrutiny for some poor performances this season.
Like Alexander-Arnold, Reds icon Fowler – who earned the nickname 'God', such was his legendary status – was born and bred in Liverpool; he knows all too well the intense pressure which can come from being a local lad playing for the Reds.
And the former England striker reflected on his own experiences as he encouraged the Anfield faithful to give their full backing to Alexander-Arnold, 24 – who, despite struggling so far this term, has been one of the standout performers for Jurgen Klopp's side in recent years.
In an interview with the Liverpool Echo, Fowler said:
"It's a natural instinct for any local lad. If you swing it around the other way and you're a fan on the Kop and you see a local lad, you'll see a bit of themselves in you. That is why local players – someone like myself – had such a good rapport with Liverpool fans, because they knew who I was and what I was about. It's exactly the same with Trent.
"I know he's having a tough time in terms of people having a go at him, but he is still a world-class player. Trent is not the reason Liverpool are having some adverse results. There are probably elements of his game that he could do with a little bit of help [with], but you can say that about any player."
Fowler doesn't expect Reds supporters to turn against Alexander-Arnold, though. He continued:
"It's great when everyone wants to sit on the glory train when everything is going well, but let's get behind him a little more. As a local, he'll feel the pressure a little bit more and that everyone is against him. I have no doubt the fans will be willing him to be the very best he can be."
Alexander-Arnold will look to help Liverpool recover from back-to-back Premier League defeats when they travel to Tottenham on Sunday afternoon. He'll also hope to make it into Gareth Southgate's final England squad for the World Cup, which will be announced imminently.
