Lisandro Martinez put Manchester United ahead with a powerful strike shortly after halftime, while Alexander-Arnold had a disappointing performance. He lost possession easily in the buildup to the goal and struggled to recover when Bruno Fernandes set up Martinez.
This poor display came just days after Real Madrid reportedly rejected a £20 million bid for the right-back. Alexander-Arnold’s usual high standard was absent, and United exploited his side throughout the game. In the 86th minute, Conor Bradley replaced him after he received a yellow card.
Amid growing speculation about his future, some Liverpool fans have started to criticize the England international. Merseyside football reporter Lewis Steele from the Daily Mail mentioned that one fan near the press box shouted, “If you don’t want to be here, Trent,” after United’s first goal. Another fan suggested Alexander-Arnold was “told to get out of here,” and noted that he seemed like a “troubled soul” on the bench after being substituted.
His performance and contract situation were key talking points on Sky Sports following the match. Jamie Carragher, Daniel Sturridge, and Gary Neville engaged in a heated debate, while Roy Keane suggested Alexander-Arnold might consider a move to the 15-time European champions.
The panel also discussed whether the recent Real Madrid rumors affected his performance.
However, Arne Slot defended Alexander-Arnold, dismissing the idea that his mentality was the issue. While he admitted it wasn’t his best match, he highlighted the difficulty posed by Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot on that side of the pitch.
Slot credited Dalot and Fernandes’ performances rather than blaming Alexander-Arnold, saying, “Trent has generally played very well for this club.
He wasn’t at his best today, but that had more to do with them than him.” He also noted that Ryan wasn’t always close enough to support Alexander-Arnold, leaving him in a two-on-one situation at times.
Liverpool’s next match is on Wednesday, the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Spurs, followed by an FA Cup tie against Accrington Stanley on Sunday.
