BBC pundit: It's been a "long time" since I've seen anything like this Liverpool duo

Liverpool are lucky to have a rare duo of young full-backs, according to Garth Crooks.

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson have been integral to the Reds’ successes this season, with Liverpool currently second in the Premier League.

What makes Liverpool’s full-backs so rare? Five key things to know…

1. One of Liverpool’s biggest weaknesses last season was their defence, but Klopp has worked hard to fix it.
2. This season, the Reds have conceded just five goals in the Premier League while also using attacking full-backs to support their forward trio.
3. Alexander-Arnold (right-back) and Robertson (left-back) have both been key members of the Liverpool squad this year after enjoying breakthrough seasons last campaign.
4. And Crooks believes this is the first pair of young exciting full-backs he has seen in a long time.
5. Robertson has created 17 chances in the Premier League the season, the fifth-most of any defender in the division, and has the joint-most assists of the whole Liverpool squad.

Both Robertson and Alexander-Arnold played a part in Liverpool’s recent 3-0 win over Watford, which saw them keep track of leaders Manchester City, and continue their unbeaten league start.

Alexander-Arnold scored Liverpool’s second to put the Reds in control with a wonderful free-kick, and Crooks believes he showed experience beyond his years at Vicarage Road.

As part of his Team of the Week column for BBC Sport, Crooks said: “You’ve got Mohamed Salah, Jordan Henderson and Roberto Firmino, all of whom are superb from a dead ball position.

“Yet the most inexperienced lad on the pitch stepped up, assessed the situation like a veteran and proceeded to leave Ben Foster in the Watford goal rooted to the spot and staring at the ball as it flew past him.

“Absolutely brilliant.”

Crooks then went on to praise Alexander-Arnold’s full-back partner, Robertson, who had caused problems constantly down the left.

He added: “He was lucky not to concede a penalty at a crucial time against Watford but the Scot got away with it. I’m not entirely sure even video assistant referee (VAR) would have changed the referee’s mind.

“The full-back went on to cause Watford all kinds of problems going forward. It was Robertson’s tenacity and eventual cross that finally killed the Hornets off completely.

“With Alexander-Arnold on one side and Robertson on the other, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen two such impressive young full-backs in the same team.”

READ MORE: Six ways Liverpool have evolved this season

Crooks is not the first to praise Liverpool’s full-back pairing

Crooks is not the only person to have recognised the performances of Alexander-Arnold and Robertson, with the former being listed as one of the favourites to win Golden Boy award.

The 20-year-old has had a sensational year, making the most of an injury to Nathaniel Clyne to impress himself on the right-back role for Liverpool’s first team.

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has also been full of praise for Alexander-Arnold, saying: “Trent Alexander-Arnold, he’s young, he’s learning.

“Against the best players, he sometimes has a problem. But his passing, his crossing and his calmness going forwards is brilliant.”

Murphy also spoke of Robertson’s balance between defence and attack, which completes Liverpool’s special back four.

“And Robertson, he can play going forward, energy, tenacity but he can defend as well and he wants to defend,” he added.

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