A pair of statistics making their way across social media this evening will no doubt bring a collective smile to the faces of Liverpool fans the world over.
TAA steals the show
The Reds were of course back in action a short time ago.
Amid a tense battle for supremacy at the Premier League summit, Jurgen Klopp and co. welcomed struggling Newcastle United to Anfield, desperate for all three points.
And, when all was said and done, secure a 12th victory of the campaign is exactly what Liverpool managed.
A predictably dominant display, interspersed with fleeting moments of Newcastle quality, ultimately culminated in the hosts emerging on the right side of a 3-1 scoreline.
After Jonjo Shelvey opened the evening’s scoring in style early on, a quickfire double on the part of Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah ensured that Liverpool headed in at the interval a goal to the good:
Was always going to be him ?
Mo Salah gives Liverpool the lead after Sadio Mané’s was saved by Dúbravka ?
Another goal, another record for the Egyptian ? pic.twitter.com/kawB5aNOiX
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) December 16, 2021
And Newcastle, to their credit, did manage to keep themselves very much in proceedings throughout the 2nd-half.
This, however, was only until the arrival of the game’s standout moment, as Trent Alexander-Arnold, with just minutes remaining, unleashed an unstoppable drive from 25 yards, which left Martin Dubravka in the visitors’ goal with no chance:
TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD THUNDERBOLT ?
WHAT A HIT!!! pic.twitter.com/dw8bBPFPmN
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) December 16, 2021
History makers
Alexander-Arnold’s ability in front of goal, however, is not the aspect of his game which has since given rise to an altogether head-turning statistic this evening.
Instead, this comes in the form of his creative talents.
As revealed post-match, the English international, despite being a defender by trade, has beaten out the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Bruno Fernandes, to become the first player to create 100 or more chances in the Premier League in 2021:
Trent Alexander-Arnold is the first player to create 100+ chances in the Premier League in 2021.
GENERATIONAL. ✨ pic.twitter.com/4rITVpUdGq
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) December 16, 2021
And TAA’s remarkable achievement has since been followed by one on the part of his club, too.
This comes with Liverpool’s downing of Newcastle having marked their 2000th such triumph in the top-flight of English football, with the Reds the first club to ever reach such a milestone:
2000 – Liverpool have now won 2,000 top-flight games, the first club to reach the milestone in English football league history. Disco. #LIVNEW
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 16, 2021
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