Trent Alexander-Arnold 'needs serious competition' at right-back if Liverpool are to consistently qualify for the Champions League, Reds legend Jamie Carragher claimed as he admitted 'we all know his defending is not good enough'.

The right-back's defensive frailties were on show once again during Real Madrid's 1-0 win at the Bernabeu, which led to the Spanish giants triumphing 6-2 on aggregate in the Champions League last-16 on Wednesday. 

Alexander-Arnold, who has played an integral role in Jurgen Klopp's success at Anfield over the last few seasons thanks to his creativity, has been continually exposed in defence this campaign, contributing to what has been a poor campaign for Liverpool.

The Reds are now out of the Champions League and risk missing out on qualification for next season's competition as they sit sixth in the Premier League and six points off fourth place.

Urging Liverpool to sign a new right-back in the summer, Carragher insisted that Alexander-Arnold 'needs help' in the position, having played week in week out every season for the last four or five years. 

Jamie Carragher gave an in-depth assessment of Trent Alexander-Arnold's issues at Liverpool

'It's very, very worrying,' Carragher told

"If Liverpool are trying to qualify for the #UCL on a yearly basis, I am not sure Trent is your man at right back..."@carra23 says Trent Alexander-Arnold needs help or another right-back must come in at Liverpool. 🔴 pic.twitter.com/lQOSGGf2j9

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'The problem they've got in that position is, they've never had real competition for Trent Alexander-Arnold. And one of the reasons for that is because he's been so good. You're then thinking "Who do you buy?". How much do you spend for someone who's not really going to play every week?

'I think Liverpool are at the point now where they have got to go buy a right-back. It's Jurgen Klopp's decision how good that right-back is, how much he costs, but that lad needs serious competition. He's been playing now at the top level every season, week in week out with no rest.

'He's won everything, he's been fantastic and he's done everything I could ever dream of. I'm so proud of him, a local lad coming through the ranks. But he needs help. At the end of this season, he needs to have a long think about where he is as a right-back.'

Carragher went on to suggest that Alexander-Arnold is suffering considerably from Liverpool's drop-off in form this season as he is tasked with defending more frequently rather than going forward and playing to his strengths.

The pundit said that, when Liverpool are playing like one of the best teams in Europe, Alexander-Arnold is freed from his shackles defensively and given licence to roam forwards.

But now that Liverpool are experiencing a sizeable dip in form - and simply fighting for Champions League qualification in the Premier League rather than for titles - Carragher is questioning whether Alexander-Arnold is the right man for the job.

He added: 'I've always defended him because he plays for one of the best teams in the world. So you do a lot more attacking than you do defending. We all know his defending is not good enough. And I don't think it'll ever be good enough. 

'We're talking about a player who has played 260 games - it's not going to massively improve.

'When Liverpool drop off and aren't one of the best teams in Europe, then you're doing more defending and less attacking. We're seeing the worst traits of Trent and not his strengths going forward. And that is a massive problem.

'I thought this problem would rear its head when Klopp left, and Liverpool went back to how they played when I was a player, where most seasons we were trying to qualify for top four. But if Liverpool are trying to qualify for the Champions League on a yearly basis, I am not sure Trent is your man at right back.

'If Liverpool go back to being one of the best teams in Europe, which they will try to do next season, he is your man. But right now the lad needs help.'