Alexander-Arnold feared VAR intervention prior to Liverpool opener

Liverpool's win over Manchester City was not without controversy, with Trent Alexander-Arnold at the forefront due to a possible handball.

Raheem Sterling and Pep Guardiola were livid when referee Michael Oliver did not award Man City a penalty against Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Trent Alexander-Arnold conceded he feared a VAR intervention for handball prior to Liverpool's opener in its crucial 3-1 over Manchester City at Anfield.

City's players and manager Pep Guardiola were left seething when referee Michael Oliver did not award a penalty against the Reds full-back, who appeared to handle in the area, early in the blockbuster contest at Anfield.

Fabinho rifled Liverpool into a sixth-minute lead shortly after, before Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane goals took the game away from City, which earned a consolation through Bernardo Silva.

Asked by Sky Sports if he feared the worse, Alexander-Arnold replied: "Obviously, yeah you know there's VAR, I think it has hit me arm, but I think it's hit Bernardo Silva's first. 

"It's one of those you have to carry on playing, we went down the other end and punished them. They complained but you have to keep on playing."

Liverpool's win sees it head into the international break with an eight-point lead at the top of the table, while the gap of nine to champion City is potentially more significant.

READ | Liverpool takes command of title race after trouncing Manchester City

The Reds earned 97 points last term and were still pipped to the title by City and Alexander-Arnold says Liverpool will need similar levels of astounding consistency to triumph this time around.

"We're on a good run, we are still unbeaten, at home we have the advantage with the fans so every time we are here we want to pick up the three points we feel we should," he added.

"We picked up a lot last season to get to 97 points and it wasn't enough and we know we have to do something similar this time."

The end of the match became a little terse between the rival teams but Alexander-Arnold says that is to be expected in a game of this magnitude.

"It was always going to be a feisty contest," he said. "It was just about desire at the end of the day because both teams wanted to win."