Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to leave Liverpool in the summer following nine years in the first team but data suggests the Anfield side may cope without him.

The creative full-back is on the verge of a move to Real Madrid having allowed his contract to run to its expiry and despite Liverpool’s attempts to renew him, Alexander-Arnold has declined any offer as he seeks a move abroad.

But as for Arne Slot’s side, data shows they should cope with the loss of one of their own.

Alexander-Arnold made his Liverpool debut at the age of 18 in the 2015-16 season and quickly became a first team regular for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

With the right back in the team, Liverpool have won 169 games in the Premier League, drawn 52 and lost 33, giving them a win percentage of 67%.

Without him, Liverpool have won 48, drawn 24 and lost seven meaning they have won 61% of games. Interestingly, Liverpool have actually lost a higher percentage (13%) of games with him in the side compared to without (9%).

While Alexander-Arnold is listed as a defender on the teamsheet, his talent has always been going forward and with him in the side, the team have scored 557 goals which is 2.19 goals a game. Without him, Liverpool score 2.16 goals a game.

In recent years, it is Alexander-Arnold’s defensive output that has seen him most heavily criticised. With him in the team, Liverpool have conceded 240 goals or 0.94 a game. Without him, that number is 78 with an average of 0.99 goals conceded.

Alexander-Arnold’s presumed heir is another academy product, Conor Bradley and there are already promising signs with him in the team. The 21-year-old Northern Irishman made his Liverpool league debut in January 2024 and has shown himself more than capable when called up.

With Bradley in the team, Liverpool have lost just two of 23 games.

Bradley’s competence will be further tested in the near future after Alexander-Arnold picked up an ankle injury. The 26-year-old is expected to be out until the end of April.

Here’s how Liverpool’s stats with and without Alexander-Arnold stack up going back to the 2015-16 season.

With Alexander-Arnold

Games: 254

Won: 169

Drawn: 52

Lost: 33

Win percentage: 67%

Loss percentage: 13%

Goals per game: 2.19

Goals conceded per game: 0.94

Without Alexander-Arnold

Games: 79

Won: 48

Drawn: 24

Lost: 7

Win percentage: 61%

Loss percentage: 9%

Goals per game: 2.16

Goals conceded per game: 0.99

READ NEXT: How Liverpool pundits have reacted to the Alexander-Arnold Real Madrid transfer saga

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name Liverpool’s XI from their 7-0 win over Man Utd in 2023?

La Liga said Wednesday Barcelona did not have the financial capacity to register players Dani Olmo and Pau Victor and still lack it, ahead of a decision by Spain’s sports council (CSD) over the duo’s eligibility to play.

In January Barcelona announced a deal had been reached to sell VIP boxes at the club’s Camp Nou stadium, currently being rebuilt, worth a reported 100 million euros ($108 million), which gave them the financial fair play room for new licences for the players.

La Liga said Barcelona used an unnamed auditor between December 31 and January 3 which recorded the deal on the club’s books, but their current auditor no longer includes it in the club’s interim financial statements for the first part of the 2024-25 season.

“No amount from the (VIP box deal) is ultimately recorded in the profit and loss accounts, contrary to what had been certified by the club and the auditor at the time of said transaction,” said La Liga in a statement.

La Liga said they were reporting the auditor Barcelona used between December 31 and January 3 to the Accounting and Auditing Institute.

“Barcelona… did not have on December 31, 2024, or on January 3, 2025, nor has it had since that date, nor does it currently have, (the financial fair play capacity) for the registration of the players Dani Olmo and Pau Victor,” continued La Liga’s statement.

Barcelona declined to comment when asked about the matter by AFP.

On January 8 the CSD granted Barcelona precautionary permission to use Olmo and Victor, after La Liga said Barca failed to register them before a deadline at the end of December when their temporary licences they were given after signing last summer expired.

The CSD decided Olmo and Victor could be selected by Barca until they make a definitive ruling in the club’s case against La Liga and the Spanish football federation (RFEF), who did not let the club renew their registrations. The ruling is set to come on or before April 7.

The players were initially registered on a short-term basis, as Barcelona took advantage of a financial loophole following an injury to defender Andreas Christensen.

Olmo, currently injured, has played 13 times since then, scoring two goals and providing four assists, while Victor has five substitute appearances.

Bukayo Saka scored the clincher as Arsenal defeated Fulham 2-1 in their English Premier League (EPL) encounter at the Emirates stadium on Tuesday.

The England international of Nigerian heritage had missed the last 12 league matches due to a hamstring injury and doubled the Gunners’ advantage on his return in the second half after Mikel Merino’s opener.

Alex Iwobi, a former Arsenal man and Super Eagles midfielder, was a second-half substitute for Fulham, while Calvin Bassey was an unused substitute.

Arsenal are playing catch-up to Liverpool, runaway league leaders, but Mikel Arteta’s side were not ready to give up on their fading title hopes in this London derby, claiming all three points as the season’s final stretch unravels.

Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey and Ethan Nwaneri all fired wide for the hosts, who then lost Gabriel Marghaelles, their talismanic defender, to injury.

However, they regrouped and found the breakthrough on 37 minutes through Merino. The Spaniard’s deflected shot found the bottom corner for 1-0, which Arsenal protected into the halftime break.

The game continued without much action until the entry of Saka in the 66th minute, and the winger scored seven minutes afterwards, arriving at the back post to apply the finish to Gabriel Martinelli’s flick with his head for 2-0 on 73 minutes.

Rodrigo Munoz pulled one back for Fulham in the dying seconds as Arsenal saw out the match to claim all three points. The North Londoners remain second 61 points from 30 matches, cutting Liverpool’s lead to nine points.

Elsewhere, Anthony Elanga carried the ball for 85 yards to finish off a counter attack into the bottom corner as high-flying Nottingham Forest defeated struggling Manchester United 1-0 at the City Ground. Both Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi, Nigeria internationals, started the match, but Aina hobbled off due to injury on 39 minutes while Awoniyi lasted 86 minutes before substitution.

The win for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side completed a home and away clean sweep over Man United, their first over the Red Devils since the 1991/92 season.

They consolidate on third position with an eight-point gap over Chelsea in fourth as they inch closer to a spot in next season’s Champions League.

RESULTS
Arsenal 2-1 Fulham
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 West Ham United
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Manchester United