Liverpool fans have noticed an uncomfortable moment between Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold during the 2-2 draw against Manchester United. The match, held on Sunday at Anfield, saw the Premier League leaders drop points against their long-time rivals.
Throughout the game, Alexander-Arnold came under criticism, with many blaming him for both of Liverpool’s conceded goals. Now, fans believe they have identified a moment in the match that reflects how Van Dijk felt about his teammate’s performance.
After Alexander-Arnold cleared a ball out of play to stop an attack from United’s Alejandro Garnacho, Van Dijk was caught on camera staring at him and shaking his head in disapproval.
Fans on social media reacted strongly, with one writing: “That look spoke a thousand words,” while another added, “You can tell he’s livid from the head shake.” One fan even said, “Van Dijk showed exactly how millions of Liverpool fans felt about Trent’s performance today.”
There were even comments suggesting Van Dijk was so frustrated that it seemed like he might physically confront Alexander-Arnold, with one fan remarking: “I thought Van Dijk was about to punch Trent with that intense stare.”
Alexander-Arnold, who played the full 86 minutes, failed to win a single duel during the match. In contrast, Conor Bradley, who replaced him, won his first duel shortly after coming on.
The 26-year-old’s poor showing also comes amid speculation that he could leave Liverpool either in the January transfer window or on a free transfer in the summer, with Real Madrid rumored to be interested.
Despite these rumors, Liverpool’s manager Arne Slot insisted that they did not affect Alexander-Arnold’s performance.
Speaking after the match, the Dutch coach said, “Most people would say the rumors affected him, but I disagree. What affected him was having to deal with Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot, two top players for Portugal.”
Slot emphasized that, in his view, it was the quality of United’s opposition that influenced Alexander-Arnold’s game, not the transfer speculation.
