It helps my concentration on the pitch – Alexander-Arnold explains unlikely chess hobby

Many footballers spend their down time on the golf course or taking care of business interests away from the beautiful game, but Trent Alexander-Arnold has a hobby one would not normally associate with modern-day players.

 The Liverpool full-back is an avid chess player, earning him the nickname the ‘Melwood Grandmaster’ at the Reds’ training ground.

 On Monday, the England international took on the unenviable challenge of facing world chess champion Magnus Carlsen at an event organised by Kaspersky Lab.

 It took just 17 moves for Alexander-Arnold to lay down his king, but given Microsoft mogul Bill Gates was defeated in just nine it was an exemplary effort.

 Explaining how chess can give him an advantage of the football field, Alexander-Arnold told Omnisport: “It helps with concentration.

 “Because obviously it takes a lot of concentration throughout both games to really focus on what your opponent is doing and how they’re trying to attack and hurt you.

 “I think you can take notes from both of them and use them in each other’s games.”

Champions league is back and we’re hungrier than ever #LFC pic.twitter.com/9zTQSGf8bY

— Trent Arnold (@trentaa98) September 17, 2018

 Alexander-Arnold also defended the form of Mohamed Salah, who has struggled to match the performances that saw him score 44 goals in his debut season at Liverpool in the early stages of this campaign.

 “He’s had a record-breaking season so it was always going to be tough to do that again,” Alexander-Arnold told Omnisport.

 “But I think he’s still showing that he’s got a lot of talent and he’s still influencing the game for us. And he’s still showing how good he is on the pitch.

 “It’s just about keeping the momentum going and it doesn’t matter whether it’s Champions League or Premier League, or whatever trophy you’re going for, you’ve got to focus on the opponent that lies ahead.

 “No matter what the competition is we’re not going to take it easy, we’re going to fight for it and try and win as much silverware as we can.”

 After being dropped for Sunday’s 0-0 draw at home to Premier League title rivals Manchester City, Alexander-Arnold will link up with England for a Nations League double-header against Croatia and Spain.

The defender capped a breakthrough season at club level by being named in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the World Cup, although he only made one appearance as the Three Lions reached the last four.

A special moment for debutant @trentaa98 , who was presented with his match shirt by the Duke of Cambr
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We hope there’s even more memories made this evening, Trent! #threelions pic.twitter.com/bDXObkJOqP

— England (@England) June 7, 2018

 “We were disappointed with getting beaten in the semis [by Croatia], we wanted to reach the final and even win the tournament,” the Liverpool full-back added.

 “That’s the aim now to keep pushing forward and keep working hard and hopefully in two years’ time at the Euros we’ll be able to go a couple of steps further.”

 
Trent Alexander-Arnold failed to beat world chess champion Magnus Carlsen, in a match organised by cyber security giants Kaspersky Lab ahead of next months World Chess Championship.