Trent Alexander-Arnold: First Liverpool goal 'a dream' for teenage defender

Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold described scoring on his European debut for his boyhood club as "a dream".

The 18-year-old opened the scoring with a neat free-kick as the Reds won 2-1 at Hoffenheim in their Champions League play-off first leg.

"It is indescribable," Alexander-Arnold, who has been with the club since he was eight, told BBC Radio 5 live.

"It is special in so many ways."

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Former Liverpool captain and current Reds academy coach Steven Gerrard had said in April: "Trent's going to be a beauty".

Gerrard told BT Sport after the game on Tuesday that Alexander-Arnold will be a "top, top player".

The teenager added: "It is always good to get compliments from your idol and I hope to live up to his words. It is always good to get his backing and support."

Alexander-Arnold, who broke into the Liverpool squad last season, took the free-kick despite there being considerably more experienced set-piece takers on the field for Liverpool.

"I told him he had to do it," said Reds boss Jurgen Klopp. "He was the only one who can.

"He can shoot free-kicks better than I ever could. He is an incredible young player."

Trent Alexander-Arnold's goal was his first for Liverpool in his 14th senior appearance

Liverpool will look to clinch a place in the group stage of this season's Champions League when they host Hoffenheim in the second leg on Wednesday, 23 August.

"I am happy with the result," added Klopp. "If somebody told me we would win we would take each result - even an 8-7.

"I'm not happy with the goal they scored but I think they deserved the goal for their effort over the 90 minutes."