'It looked like' - Former Man United defender gives honest view on Liverpool's star defensive performance

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has called out Trent Alexander-Arnold's defensive performance against Manchester City.

The Reds earned a 1-1 draw at the Etihad stadium courtesy of the 25-year-old whose low strike beat Ederson in the 80th minute.

His passing and creativity was on show but he faced Jeremy Doku who was in red-hot form on the day as Alexander-Arnold was dribbled past seven times, according to WhoScored.

Doku did manage to create four chances from Liverpool's right-hand side and their goal came from Nathan Ake pressing forward and playing in Erling Haaland. However, he earned the Player of the Match on the Sky Sports coverage for his performances which saw him produce four crosses, win back possession nine times, record two interceptions and three tackles.

Ferdinand called out Alexander-Arnold's defensive capabilities following the draw at the weekend, believing that the Liverpool defender had to do 'a lot better' at the back.

He said on the Vibe with Five Podcast: "Listen, on the ball he does things we've rarely seen from a full-back, his passing, his range over varying distances, he can give you however you want it - curled, drilled, fade it, the lot. Just have that same intensity defensively. This is the thing that is mad for me, I've seen him do it. I always go back to the game where (Leroy) Sane at City was on fire, comes to Anfield and Trent locks him down one-v-one.

"He scores, yeah, but I look at their goal and think he should've done a lot better against (Nathan) Ake. I just don't understand it. There's a passiveness when he has to defend, there's no intensity.

"When he goes to engage the winger, I don't see those soft knees ready to explode, he goes in like he's forgot about the fundamentals about defending. One-v-one you've got to go in, you've got to be lower, ready to make the run.

"Doku, there isn't a winger in the league right now who is as aggressive as him. Before the game starts you go, 'right, I'm going to be ready because he will try go down the line or inside'. It looked like Trent didn't have an understanding or an acknowledgement that this is that guy."