Real Madrid defender makes a case for regular game-time with stellar display vs Malaga | OneFootball

It is no secret that this will be a defining season for Trent Alexander-Arnold. Currently in his second year at Real Madrid, the defender is coming on the back of a torrid debut campaign.

He will be looking to right the wrongs under Jose Mourinho, as he looks to become a key component in Real Madrid’s new setup.

The former Liverpool star already had a promising look-in against Malaga, where he was handed his first start of the league season after Denzel Dumfries had been preferred in the opening two matches.

Trent delivers against Malaga

As reported by AS, Trent produced an encouraging display that hinted at the kind of player Real Madrid thought they were getting when they signed him from Liverpool.

Trent produced a solid display vs Malaga. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Within seconds of kick-off, the Englishman was involved, firing a shot narrowly over the Malaga goal from the right side of the attack.

It set the tone for a performance in which he looked noticeably more attack-minded and liberated in his decision-making compared to anything seen last season.

Trent’s performance was backed up by numbers as he was involved in 117 actions, the most of any Real Madrid player on the pitch, and completed 87 of his 96 passes, including 16 of 21 in the final third.

He also registered two shots and six recoveries, the third highest in the team, including one on the left wing that drew applause from Bellingham.

Can Trent compete with Dumfries this season? (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

With Marc Cucurella providing defensive solidity on the opposite flank and the high line of Dean Huijsen and Antonio Rudiger offering cover, Trent was freed from the defensive burden that weighed him down last term.

A fresh start under Mourinho

Last season was a nightmare for the Englishman, disrupted by injuries and a chaotic environment that saw managerial changes on the bench.

He managed just 30 appearances out of a possible 56, missed England’s World Cup squad and saw Dumfries arrive as direct competition.

But Mourinho’s trust, after having Trent at his disposal from the beginning of pre-season, appears to have given him a sense of calm and belonging.

Against Malaga, there was more aggression, more attitude and more of the forward-thinking play that made him one of the finest full-backs in the world at Anfield.