Arne Slot says Trent Alexander-Arnold is “ready to play 90 minutes” for Liverpool.
Alexander-Arnold is yet to play a full match for Slot, being replaced by 21-year-old Conor Bradley after 70-80 minutes in all three Premier league games so far under the new manager. In the second of those, against Brentford at Anfield, Alexander-Arnold was visibly frustrated by the decision, sitting alone on the bench with his arms folded as the game went on.
Manchester United great Paul Scholes recently claimed Slot was unhappy with Alexander-Arnold, pointing to the manager’s frustrated body language on the touchline during Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford.
“Watching that Sunday game, every time he gave the ball away he [Slot] was shaking his head,” Scholes said on Stick to Football. “He kept looking away and turning around to his bench. He was trying these long balls, which obviously he can do brilliantly. I thought, ‘I’m not sure if he likes him’.”
The former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher added: “I think the way Slot wants to play, he doesn’t want these long balls as much.”
Alexander-Arnold made back-to-back 90 minute appearances for the interim England manager Lee Carsley during the international break, impressing with his range of passing in a fluid role, and speaking ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League match with Nottingham Forest on Saturday, Slot suggested the defender could do the same for his club – though the manager wants Bradley to get playing time too.
“He proved he could do 90 minutes, but maybe he could have done this before [for Liverpool] as well,” Slot said. “In the Ipswich game I saw that he became a bit tired towards the end of the game, but he played two games afterwards so I think he’s completely ready to play 90.
“In the beginning [the reason he was brought off] was that I saw he was tired, and sometimes it’s also having a player like Conor Bradley who can do the job really well, so he’s able to play 90. But I have a whole team to manage, to prepare for the season, and it’s also good for Conor to get his playing minutes. You guys [media] look at the individual, but I look at the team.”
Alexander-Arnold’s contract expires at the end of the season and there is lingering doubt over the 25-year-old’s future at Anfield.
“I think his situation at Liverpool is really interesting,” said Carragher, who grew up on Merseyside and spent his entire career with Liverpool. “I always feel like at Liverpool and you’re a local player, leaving the club is difficult. You have three players in [Mohamed] Salah, [Virgil] van Dijk and Trent. I think the reaction from Liverpool supporters, with Trent it will be different. If you go through it – [Steve] McManaman, [Steven] Gerrard, the fans completely turned.
“I think he will be treated differently and it was interesting in the first game when he came off and he looked a little bit unhappy on the bench. Even though he’d only been there for two games, it was a little bit like, ‘who do you think you are?’”