If variety is the spice of life then Trent Alexander-Arnold is the spiciest full-back in world football right now.
The 21-year-old from West Derby is giving the position of right-back its sexiest makeover since Dani Alves revolutionised the role in 2008.
But while Alves tormented sides with a repertoire of off-the-cuff tricks never before witnessed from right-back, Alexander-Arnold carefully selects his mode of destruction from his golf bag of a right foot.
Alexander-Arnold’s full inventory was on display during Liverpool’s 4-0 dismantling of Leicester.
His first assist loopily conned Ben Chilwell into a hopeful leap before dropping and planting itself seductively onto Roberto Firmino’s forehead. Then there was the low, arrowed corner which worked its way towards Caglar Soyuncu’s hand as if guided by a questionable head of state.
Liverpool’s third goal was made possible by a daisy cutter of a pull back by Alexander-Arnold. While the force of the cross would have removed a mere mortal’s ankle, in Firmino’s right foot it found a pillow fit for a narcoleptic king.
Then Alexander-Arnold got in on the act himself with a low drive taken straight from Tiger Wood’s Augusta playbook. Four goal involvements, four different techniques.
It won’t be long before Alexander-Arnold is accompanied onto the pitch by a caddie, such is the variety of technique at his disposal when he chooses to put boot to ball.
The tactic of denying Alexander-Arnold half a yard is rendered useless by the lack of backlift he requires to fire off a cross.
Against Leicester, Alexander-Arnold repeatedly created scoring opportunities by half-volleying balls into the six-yard box that would otherwise be harmlessly bouncing out of play.
When you do allow the 21-year-old time and space he produces floated invitations not seen since the heady days of David Beckham and Stewart Downing.
No player has provided more crosses in the Premier League this season than Alexander-Arnold. But it’s the variation, rather than the volume, that makes the right-back such a threat. Only Kevin De Bruyne can compete when it comes to the range of invasions into the opposition penalty area.
You can have all your angles covered as a defender and Alexander-Arnold will simply construct a new way over, under or through.
It’s only natural for a move into midfield to be mooted. But those calls fail to recognise that changing the picture Alexander-Arnold sees on a football pitch would require a complete change in approach.
For the moment, Jurgen Klopp doesn’t need to touch his creator-in-chief. He’s safely insulated from the chaos of the engine room at right-back.
It’s unfair on the likes of Gary Neville and Denis Irwin to present Alexander-Arnold as the first ever creative right-back to grace the Premier League.
But whereas you knew what you were getting from Neville and Iriwin- perfectly-timed overlapping runs followed by neat, lofted crosses to the back post- Alexander-Arnold brings an element of unpredictability to the role.
Never has the Premier League right-back been so rock & roll.