There was much fear for Liverpool star Alexander Arnold following an incident which has been described in England as a “miracle” that he made it through alive.
Reports from The Sun indicate that a high-voltage pylon was brought down by a severe storm that hit the United Kingdom. Arnold reportedly managed to narrowly avoid contact with it. This could have had dire consequences, possibly even fatal.
Despite the trauma of the near-miss, Arnold’s quick reflexes possibly saved his life. Aged only 22, the right-back who hails from Liverpool has been hailed for his prowess on the pitch, and by avoiding this pylon, he again proved that his quick reactions apply as much in a dire real-world situation as they do in sport.
This incident has certainly raised high concerns for player safety off the field, a topic that often finds itself overshadowed by the on-pitch toughness of football. It remains to be seen how Arnold’s close shave with danger affects his performance in future games, or whether it leads to increased discourse around player safety outside professional sport’s protective spotlight.