Trent Alexander-Arnold isn’t far from home.
Melwood’s just around the corner and inside a mile radius you can find his family home in West Derby and his own former junior school, St Matthew’s on Queens Drive.
Alongside Liverpool FC colleague Dominic Solanke he’s staring out at row upon row of perfectly behaved pupils from Blackmoor Junior School. In two lots they must number nearly 300.
The school are one of many in the area who benefit from a good relationship with the Reds and the players are here to answer some tough questions from the seven to nine year olds, and speak about their experience as footballers.
There are lots of pictures to be taken and items to be signed, all part of the club putting the players back into the community. Health and safety fears have put an end to the days of kids hanging around the Melwood gates in the hope of a player’s window being wound down on the way in or out but events like these help to fill that gap.
A group of pupils selected for good work and behaviour have even been to Melwood to watch training and LFC recently helped one of their pupils, Sam Kilburn, who takes part in disabled football with the club, end up in Disneyland Paris.
A decade ago Alexander-Arnold knows he could have been one of those pupils, down there in the school hall, looking up at the two footballers at the front.
“I grew up in this area and this community so it’s always good to come and visit the students because I was one of them,” he says.
Still just 19 and a Liverpool player since the age of six, he knows what the kids need to hear for the best.
He admits to loving pizza as his favourite food but reminds them of the need for a balanced diet. He tells them he would have wanted to be an author or journalist if he hadn’t been a footballer so it’s important to study hard. How he loved all sports at school and still plays tennis with his mates and loves going for a swim.
And yes of course he plays FIFA!
Alexander-Arnold is here because that six-year-old boy has risen through the ranks at the Liverpool Academy to become that thing most beloved by the Kop, a home-grown first team player.
He’s started nine games this season, alternating with Joe Gomez at right-back, and with Gomez playing against both Sevilla and Chelsea, a Premier League start against Stoke on Wednesday night looks highly probable.
Reflecting on the season, he told the ECHO: “It’s been a really good season so far personally and decent for the club as well.
“Maybe we’re not in the position we want to be in the league right now but there’s still a long way to go and anything can happen. It’s the Premier League and any team can beat any team. It’s still tight and getting tighter and tigher.
“In the Champions League we’re still top of our group and we want to secure our place in the round of 16 and that’s what we’ll try to do. That’s what we set out to target at the start of the season and hopefully we’ll accomplish that next week.”
Alexander-Arnold’s stunning free-kick against Hoffenheim played a big part in getting Liverpool into the Champions League proper and it remains his favourite moment in a Reds shirt.
“Yeah I’ve watched the replay a couple of times and it’s a moment that will stay with me forever. It was important at the time not to dwell on it for too long. Keep trying to play and perform and keep the manager’s trust and that’s what I tried to do. It’s what I still try to do every time I step on the pitch.”
The trust of his manager has been pretty clear, with Klopp describing Alexander-Arnold’s latest appearance against Southampton as his best defensive performance so far. The Reds boss has never been in doubt about the former midfielder’s talents going forwards but has spoken of improving him defensively.
It’s perhaps notable that Alexander-Arnold introduces himself to the pupils as “a defender” when they ask about his position.
“I think for the next couple of years or so right-back will definitely be my position so that’s what I’ve got to focus on improving. First and foremost you are a defender and if you’re in the back four when that squad is announced then you’ve got to defend, you’re not a winger. You go out there to defend first and foremost and if you can bring something to the attack then that’s what you try to do.
“I think that was definitely in my mindset going into the Southampton game and I was happy to hear the manager’s kind words afterwards for me. But again I tried not to dwell on it too long and tried to go into training for the next couple of days and show it wasn’t just a one-off.
“I’m tried to carry it on and to show that I’m learning and improving every day.”
The staff at Melwood he says are helping with that, and training against top quality opposition is bearing fruit.
“From my point of view I’m a lot better going forward than defensively (right now) but I’m a defender first and foremost and the most important part of that is not going forward but how you can defend. The staff and the players around Melwood are helping me in every way they can, the sports scientists, the fitness coaches, the manager.
“Training every day against top quality opposition is tough and you get those tough decisions you find yourself in in games.
“Growing up in the Academy I didn’t really have that but once you make that step up, every day is hard and you’ve got to stay concentrated and it really helps come match day.”
Alexander-Arnold was at Wembley to see his club colleagues Joe Gomez scoop a man of the match award against Brazil recently and for Solanke to make his senior England debut.
Recently promoted to the U21s himself how far do his international ambitions stretch? Could he make a late run for the plane to Russia?
“Obviously I train around Joe and Dom every day, and I was at the game seeing them play at Wembley. They both thoroughly deserved what happened on that night. It was a proud moment for everyone at the club. To see them on the pitch was motivating. I want to be doing that as well.
“There’s still a lot of hard work to go to get to that point but as long as I apply myself every day you can’t rule anything out.
“Hopefully my time will come, you’ve just got to be patient.
“You’ve just got to keep putting in the performances to get into the manager’s thoughts and that’s what I'm trying to do.”
With that it’s back to Melwood for training.
For a local boy done good.
And one you can’t help feeling is going to do even better still.
