'They hate it' - Trent Alexander-Arnold explains how Jurgen Klopp intimidates opponents

Trent Alexander-Arnold has revealed that opposition players 'hate' when Jurgen Klopp watches them warm up before matches. 

When both sides are going through their pre-match warm ups prior to a Liverpool game, Klopp will always take to the field and watch the opposition intently from the halfway line.

It's something that has always endeared him to Liverpool fans and Klopp has previously claimed that he simply does it to get a better understanding of his opponents.

However, others have suggested it's more of a psychological tactic to unsettle the opposition, with Alexander-Arnold having now admitted that it does intimidate players.

OPPONENTS HATE JURGEN KLOPP'S PRE-MATCH RITUAL

Injured Liverpool defender Alexander-Arnold spoke to Sky Sports during Liverpool's victory against Brighton on Sunday, and the right-back revealed that oppositions players have told him how much they hate Klopp watching them in the warm up.

Asked whether Klopp would tell Liverpool players what he had seen during the warm up, Alexander-Arnold responded: "Not at all. He just keeps a mental note.

"Whether he's scouting players, I don't know why he does it. It's just habit, a routine. It does intimidate players, a lot come and ask me, come and talk to me saying that they hate it. Hopefully it works."

Former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott, who was on punditry duty during Liverpool's 2-1 win, also admitted to having disliked Klopp's pre-match ritual during the latter days of his career.

"I remember you'd be warming up, in your routine, then all of a sudden you'd get eye contact with Jurgen Klopp and it's like fire," said Walcott.

"So intimidating. He caught me once, so I'm sure he will have caught many players over the years. I’m sure there's a reason behind that but he definitely scared me."

Regardless of whether or not Klopp sees it as an intimidation tactic, it's positive to hear that it has such an impact on opposition players before matches.

It evidently worked during Liverpool's victory on Sunday, the Reds moving back to the top of the Premier League table thanks to goals from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah against the Seagulls.