Trent Alexander-Arnold vs Joao Cancelo – What Do The Stats Say?

They are two of the Premier League’s most talented right-backs – but what do the numbers say about Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joao Cancelo?

The duo have firmly established themselves as key members of the Liverpool FC and Manchester City teams respectively and both have enjoyed large success at club level.

In this article, we’re going to take a close look at both players to see what the stats say about their form, paying attention to their numbers in front of goal and other figures to see how the pair compare.

So, whether you’re simply interested in known more about how these two players have performed lately or you’re wondering which one of the two to include in your fantasy football team, this article’s got you covered.

Recent History And Introduction

A product of Liverpool FC’s youth system, Trent Alexander Arnold has established himself as a key player for the Merseyside outfit over the last few years.

After impressing on his way through the club’s youth set-up, Alexander-Arnold – who’s known for his impressive set-piece and passing ability – earned his competitive debut for the Reds back in October 2016 in a League Cup game against Tottenham Hotspur.

Joao Cancelo, meanwhile, is a product of Benfica’s youth system, having spent five years in their academy set-up before making his first competitive appearance for the Portuguese club’s first team in January 2014.

After spending time on loan to Valencia and later earning a permanent move to the Spanish club – Cancelo was also loaned out to Inter Milan before signing for Juventus in the summer of 2018.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (Photo: Mark Cosgrove / depositphotos.com)

However, Cancelo only spent one season at Juventus and ended up signing for Premier League side Manchester City in August 2019 in a deal widely reported to be worth around £60m – a fee which made him the most-expensive right-back in history at the time.

Cancelo quickly established himself as a regular fixture in Pep Guardiola’s first-team at The Etihad and was a regular starter in the Citizens’ side in the seasons that followed.

So, although both Alexander-Arnold and Cancelo have enjoyed different routes into the first teams at Liverpool FC and Manchester City, both have established themselves as key players for their respective clubs in the last few seasons.

Alexander-Arnold vs Cancelo – Recent League Form

Let’s now take a look at what the number say about Alexander-Arnold and Cancelo’s recent form in the Premier League.

He did also impress in the 2021-22 season, when he scored two goals and made 12 assists in the Premier League as Klopp’s men ended up as runners-up to Manchester City in the title race.

Meanwhile, Cancelo’s figures in front of goal are not quite as impressive as Alexander-Arnold’s. At the time of writing, the Portugal international’s best season in terms of goals and assists came in the 2021-22 campaign, when he scored one goal and made seven assists in 36 Premier League games to help the Citizens win the title.

So, both right-backs have played important roles in their club’s recent Premier League title triumphs, but looking specifically at the numbers in the English top flight over the last few years, Alexander-Arnold comes out on top in terms of goals and assists.

Joao Cancelo (Photo: Marco Canoniero / depositphotos.com)

What About In Europe?

Both players are also experienced at Champions League level. Alexander-Arnold first made inroads in Europe’s elite club competition in 2017-18, when he scored one goal and made one assist in 10 Champions League appearances.

In the following season in 2018-19, Alexander-Arnold was a key man for Liverpool FC as they won the Champions League title under Klopp, with the right-back making 11 appearances and notching up three assists for the Reds in the competition.

Unlike Alexander-Arnold, Cancelo has not yet tasted Champions League glory, although he was a runner-up with Manchester City in the 2020-21 campaign. That season, he scored one goal and made one assist in nine Champions League appearances.

At the time of writing, Cancelo’s best return in a Champions League season was in the 2021-22 campaign, when he scored two goals and made three assists in nine games.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (Photo: @trentarnold66 / Instagram)

Overall, the pair have fairly similar numbers when it comes to their stats in front of goal in the Champions League – although Alexander Arnold is the only of the two players to have actually lifted the Champions League trophy.

Alexander-Arnold vs Cancelo – Head To Head In Front Of Goal

Let’s now take a look at the pair’s form in front of goal over the last few seasons. The numbers below show the total number of club goals scored and assists made per season in all competitions. Note: the assist numbers below only include league and European games.

• 2019-20 season:
Alexander-Arnold – 4 goals and 14 assists
Cancelo – 1 goal and no assists

• 2020-21 season:
Alexander-Arnold – 2 goals and 9 assists
Cancelo – 3 goals and 4 assists

• 2021-22 season:
Alexander-Arnold – 2 goals and 17 assists
Cancelo – 3 goals and 10 assists

• Total:
Alexander-Arnold – 8 goals and 40 assists
Cancelo – 7 goals and 14 assists

So, although both players have similar numbers in terms of goals scored, Alexander-Arnold leads the way in terms of assists by quite some distance, with the England international having notched up 40 assists in the league and in Europe over those three seasons.

What About Their International Form?

Alexander-Arnold made his senior debut for the England team in 2018. Since then, the right-back has scored one goal in 17 appearances for the Three Lions (correct as of the time of writing).

Meanwhile, Cancelo made his senior debut for Portugal back in 2016. In total, he has scored seven goals in 37 games for his country since then.

What Club Trophies Have They Won?

At the time of writing, Alexander-Arnold has won all four major trophies once with Liverpool FC – the Premier League, the Champions League, the FA Cup and the League Cup.

Meanwhile, Cancelo has won the Premier League twice, as well as the League Cup once. Prior to his move to The Etihad, Cancelo won the Portuguese league with Benfica and also Serie A with Juventus.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (Photo: BT Sport / YouTube)

How Old Are Alexander-Arnold and Cancelo?

Cancelo is the older of the two players by around four years and therefore has more experience under his belt.

Alexander-Arnold was born on 7 October 1998 in Liverpool and is currently 24 years old. Cancelo, meanwhile, was born on 27 May 1994 in Barreiro, Portugal and is currently 28 years old.

How Tall Are Alexander-Arnold and Cancelo?

Cancelo is the slightly taller of the pair, with the Portugal international being 182cm tall (6ft 0ins), and Alexander-Arnold being 175cm (5ft 9ins) tall.

Alexander-Arnold vs Cancelo – In Conclusion

So, that brings us to the end of our comparison article looking at Alexander-Arnold and Cancelo. We’ve walked you through the main stats related to the impressive right-backs over the last few seasons and have looked at how their number stack up.

In terms of goals and assists, Alexander Arnold clearly leads the way, but both players have established themselves as key men in their teams over the last few seasons.