Roy Keane criticised Trent Alexander-Arnold’s first-half performance at Anfield on Sunday at the end of a week in which the Liverpool full-back has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid, joking he might be better suited to Tranmere Rovers.
Liverpool insist the 26-year-old, who is out of contract in the summer, is not for sale and when the Champions League holders made an enquiry a few days ago, it was immediately rebuffed with the message they had no intention of discussing it further.
But the speculation intensified amid reports of a second bid from Madrid, adding an unwanted sub-plot to Liverpool’s clash with rivals Manchester United this weekend.
Alexander-Arnold appeared to be targeted by United during the game, with Diogo Dalot immediately dribbling and beating the defender, the first of several promising attacks down the left side of the pitch for the visiting team.
Speaking at half-time, Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane was unimpressed.
“We talk about how brilliant Trent is going forward, but Trent’s defending today, my goodness, it’s like schoolboy stuff. There’s talk about him going to Real Madrid – the way he’s defending he’s going to Tranmere Rovers after this.
“He’s got to do better defensively, he has to do better.”
Alexander-Arnold’s afternoon got worse after the restart when he gave the ball away and United immediately sprang an attack down his side. Lisandro Martinez burst in behind the defender and smashed the opening goal into the roof of the Liverpool net.
“I said I expected a big performance from Trent Alexander-Arnold today after all the talk of going to Real Madrid this week,” said ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher on commentary. “He better hope Real Madrid aren’t watching this.”
Liverpool’s troubles were eased a few minutes later when Cody Gakpo slammed home an equaliser, before Mohamed Salah fired home a second from the penalty spot to turn the match on its head. But Amad Diallo responded for United to make it 2-2 in a see-saw second half.
Alexander-Arnold was replaced late in the game by understudy Conor Bradley.
Earlier this week, Liverpool manager Arne Slot had remained guarded over his star’s future in his pre-match press conference, but confirmed he had spoken with Alexander-Arnold following the Real approach and did not believe it would have a destabilising effect.
“I completely understand the question and why you ask it, but you already know the answer: these conversations I have never shared, not about Trent, not about any others, about what I talk to them about,” he said.
“It was a conversation as many others we had, me and Trent, so let’s leave it at that.
“I can tell you he is playing on Sunday and hopefully he brings the same performances as he brought in for the last half-year, because everybody saw how great a first half of the season he had, how much he is here, how much he wants to win here.
“I see him on the training ground every day working his ass off. He is fully committed to us and he will play on Sunday.
“If it would destabilise players at Liverpool if other people talk about them, then we would really have a problem because if you play at one of the biggest clubs in the world everybody is always – for 12 months long – talking about you, sometimes in relation to other clubs.
“That happens so many times for our players, so if that destabilises them then we really would have had a problem, not only now but in the last six months because there were some talks about our players in the last six months and I don’t think it destabilised them at all.”