Trent Alexander-Arnold has never scored twice in a Liverpool match. He undoubtedly believed he had by the end of their crazy 4-3 win over Fulham, but his first – a beautiful free-kick that struck the bar and went in – slid over the line via the back of Bernd Leno, who was given an own goal as a result. But if you keep going in this direction, you’ll soon have your first brace.

There was no doubt, however, that the No. 66 would see his name on the scoresheet after 88 minutes, sealing the comeback triumph and three crucial points with a fizzing strike on the turn from the edge of the box.

His all-around attacking impact on the game, as well as the fact that he scored the game-winning goal – three points earned now by his goals in the Reds’ last two league outings – will only add to the argument that Jurgen Klopp must move his vice-captain up from right-back into central midfield on a regular, permanent basis.

Perhaps the manager will argue that the 25-year-old is already getting into advanced, effective positions while nominally positioned as a defender, but his match-winning effect against Fulham came after Klopp made a deliberate reshuffle to put him centrally, in a double pivot, as the Reds chased first a draw and then a victory.

Many factors, but also many potential options to pursue as Liverpool seeks to resolve Alexander-Arnold’s best role in the future. For starters, they can just maintain the status quo. Klopp has been slow to convert Trent to a midfielder, with only the occasional cup appearance seeing him in a changed position on the initial teamsheet. Alexander-Arnold drifting into the middle from right-back works in build-up play, if not always enhancing team cohesion in defensive and transition phases, but the ability to change things from the bench exists, as it did against Fulham.

A move ahead for the Scouser might have three branches, each with a question mark: if Alexander-Arnold is no longer the right-back, who is? Joe Gomez has been mostly effective in that role this season, but he lacks the inventiveness and range of passing into the final third that his teammate does.

It also doesn’t seem likely that someone else going there permanently would be asked to do the same role Alexander-Arnold does now – Liverpool would need something different from a full-back outlet rather than doubling up on what Trent would be doing from a midfield spot.

So, would Liverpool have to enter the transfer market? Are Conor Bradley and Jarrell Quansah deemed advanced enough to be first-team regulars?

Finances have rarely been thrown out too regularly or on short notice in the middle of the season at Anfield, and first-team, elite-level full-backs do not come cheap, even if a prospective list of candidates exists and a revised tactical plan is in the works at the Kirkby Training Centre.

Trent’s job in the middle, aside from right-back, is also not clearly established at the moment.

He’s a roving, rampaging sidekick to the sitter, the player with more scope to switch channels through his movement as well as his changes of play when moving in the middle from right-back.

Not to mention the big talking point of goalmouth action: can Liverpool afford for him to burst forward and be the goal danger he plainly is as the deepest player? Not with two aggressive No. 8s up front, and not if they want to be significantly more solid defensively than they were against Fulham. On the other hand, Alexis Mac Allister is not doing well as a No. 6 right now; would bringing both players forward improve the club as a whole?

As an eight himself, there are reasons to enjoy what Alexander-Arnold has to offer, but it’s a significant position shift. But his winning impact against Fulham came after the manager chopped and changed to a two-man midfield, with Wataru Endo – who scored the equalizer and can also stride forward – providing balance when Trent pushed on and offering a covering, holding player to provide a platform and a semblance of structure for the four or five in attack.

Given Klopp’s track record of tinkering and, most crucially, finding a successful combination, it would come as no surprise to see yet another little change to Liverpool’s structure. Wherever he ends up and whatever Alexander-Arnold is used game to game, one thing is certain: as a major part in the team, the present Liverpool right-back will have an even larger influence as a world-class player of game-defining quality.