Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Trent Alexander-Arnold was withdrawn at half time in the Reds' 3-1 win over Burnley due to a knee injury.
After being knocked off their Premier League perch by Manchester City earlier in the day, Klopp's side returned to the summit with a hard-fought beating of the Clarets in front of a record-breaking Anfield crowd.
Alexander-Arnold was the provider for the hosts' opener in the 31st minute, delivering the corner which Diogo Jota nodded home to give Liverpool the lead, earning himself a place in the record books in the process.
By setting up the Portuguese for the deadlock-breaker, Alexander-Arnold registered his 58th assist in the Premier League, more than any other defender in the history of the competition.
However, the right-back's afternoon was cut short as he failed to emerge for the second half, with Harvey Elliott taking his place, raising alarm bells of a second injury in quick succession.
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Alexander-Arnold has already missed a few weeks of action in 2024 due to the hyperextension of his knee that he suffered against Arsenal, and Klopp confirmed after the contest that the defender had experienced pain in the same area.
While Alexander-Arnold apparently professed that he was fit to continue, Liverpool were not prepared to take a risk with their vice-captain, as Klopp told Sky Sports News: "Same area in the knee.
"Nothing really bad, but he felt it again and we have to see, we have to assess it. Trent said it's fine, but it's not fine [because] he feels it so we had to be careful and took him off."
Prior to Alexander-Arnold's withdrawal, Liverpool were pegged back in the 45th minute of the clash with the Clarets, who went into the break on level terms thanks to Dara O'Shea's header.
However, in a game dominated by aerial excellence, two more headers from Liverpool shirts decided the contest in the Reds' favour, as Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez both breached James Trafford's goal.
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Nearly 60,000 supporters - 59,896 to be exact - took their seats to witness the Reds' success thanks to the expansion of the Anfield Road Stand, and Klopp was in awe to see Liverpool history being made on Merseyside.
"Outstanding, oh my God! Before I really heard it I saw it already [and] it looks exceptional, it looks absolutely exceptional. This stadium grew and grew," Klopp added. "It was always wonderful but now it's really outrageously wonderful. Really top, really top, really loud in the right moments.
"I know it's a game [where] there were tricky moments and then it's difficult to be on your toes... but it's all good and I am really happy that we have them now finally back, it gives a lot of people the opportunity to see this wonderful team playing football."
Liverpool have a full week to recover from their Burnley exploits before they kick off next weekend's Premier League action, travelling to Brentford for the lunchtime kickoff on February 17.
Ben Knapton
