Jarell Quansah stepped in at right-back after it was revealed that both Alexander-Arnold and Conor Bradley were both unfit for the final this weekend. Richards delved into how his absence weakened Liverpool who just days after being knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain on penalties were beaten 2-0 by the Magpies.
"They just didn't have the same flow they usually have. And you know Trent on a big pitch - he's a great passer of the ball," said Richards on The Rest Is Football podcast (via the Liverpool Echo). "Whether he's driving forward, whether he's getting on the ball in that space, making things happen. I just thought, from Liverpool's point of view, they really missed him."
The Reds clearly missed the 26-year-old’s brilliance in attack which Quansah simply could not provide throughout the game. Sunday's performance highlighted the gap in Liverpool's creative department when the full-back is unavailable, Liverpool looked lost without him both defensively and offensively.
With Alexander-Arnold's contract set to run out this summer the final only emphasized the need to keep him at the club. If Liverpool cannot hang on to their best creative asset then their chances of chasing the title next season are practically nonexistent which will worry many supporters who are desperate for him to sign a new deal.