Liverpool became the first team to beat Hoffenheim at home since May 2016 on Tuesday night by winning 2-1 in their Champions League qualifier.

Trent Alexander-Arnold opened the scoring with a beautiful free-kick in the 35 minute before James Milner made it 2-0 via a kind deflection off Havard Nordtveit.

Mark Uth threatened to spark a late comeback in the 87th minute when he fired past Simon Mignolet, but Liverpool just about held on.

It was Alexander-Arnold that inevitably stole headlines after the game, with Steven Gerrard describing his free-kick as "fabulous" and "fantastic".

The Liverpool legend added: "What a night for the kid. He's played superb but to step up and have the character to take that ahead of the likes of [Jordan] Henderson [speaks volumes].

"He's going to be a top, top player. [Nathaniel] Clyne has to be very careful this season because he's breathing down his neck.

"Performances like tonight are letting [Jurgen] Klopp know he's ready for the big time."

No one expected Alexander-Arnold to even be in contention to take the free-kick, let alone find the bottom-right corner from 28 yards out.

But that's exactly what happened, which raised the question of why an 18-year-old full-back was on free-kick duties ahead of the likes of captain Henderson and Roberto Firmino.

The risk paid off, of course, but Alexandre-Arnold was not only the youngest player on the pitch, but also making his Champions League debut.

Well, it turns out the reason is very simple: Alexandre-Arnold scores free-kicks for fun in Liverpool training and for the Under-23s.

Henderson and Klopp were both asked why the teenager was chosen to take the free-kick, with Henderson saying: "He's been doing that every day in training for two weeks, that's why he's on them."

Klopp added in a separate interview: "I told him he had to take it - he can shoot free-kicks better than I ever could.

"I have to say for an 18-year-old who has the balls to take a free-kick like that, it is rather more exciting and interesting for me than a little mistake he makes.

"I told him to take it because I watched him many times for the Under-23s last season. He took the free-kicks then and by the way the goal is the same size."

Alexander-Arnold is a bit of a free-kick specialist by the sounds of it, which will come in handy if Liverpool's current taker, Philippe Coutinho, ends up joining Barcelona this summer.