- Liverpool manager Arne Slot dismissed claims that Trent Alexander-Arnold’s poor performance against United was caused by rumours linking him to Real Madrid
- The Dutch coach insisted Alexander-Arnold’s focus was not affected by Real Madrid rumours and blamed United’s quality attackers for the defender’s struggles
- Liverpool retained a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table but dropped crucial points in the title race
Liverpool manager Arne Slot dismissed suggestions that transfer speculation played a role in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s underwhelming performance during Liverpool’s 2-2 draw against Manchester United at Anfield.
The England international, who has been linked with a move to Real Madrid, endured a difficult evening as United exposed Liverpool’s vulnerabilities.
Alexander-Arnold, in the final six months of his contract, struggled defensively and was partially responsible for United’s opening goal, leaving questions about his focus amidst swirling transfer rumours.
However, Slot rejected the notion that the off-field talk affected the right-back’s display.
Speaking after the match, Slot said,
“Nine out of 10 people might say it affected him, but I’m the one who believes it didn’t. What affected him was playing against Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot, two excellent players.”
Slot argued that United’s attacking quality posed a far greater challenge than transfer speculation, crediting Fernandes and Dalot’s intensity for Alexander-Arnold’s struggles. He emphasised that United’s tactics were difficult to handle when their players brought such high energy.
Liverpool had initially fought back from a goal down after Lisandro Martinez’s opener, levelling through Cody Gakpo before taking the lead with Mohamed Salah’s penalty. Yet, despite holding the advantage, the Reds were pegged back late by Amad Diallo’s composed finish.
The drama didn’t end there as both teams had opportunities to steal all three points. Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk missed a golden chance to make it 3-2, while Harry Maguire squandered a stoppage-time opportunity that could have handed United an unlikely victory.
Slot admitted the result felt like three points dropped for the Premier League leaders but maintained perspective,
“It’s easy to focus on Maguire’s miss, but Van Dijk had a similar chance just moments earlier. But what you then might tend to forget is that two minutes before, Virgil [van Dijk] had just as big a chance to make it 3-2 for us. In the end, it was a difficult game. It is not always easy to play against that style of football, especially if they have such good quality players.”
Liverpool’s six-point lead over Arsenal remains intact, with a game in hand, but Slot’s focus was on ensuring consistency as the title race heats up.
Mohammed Salah saves Reds from Saints in 5-goal thriller
Previously, TheRadar reported that Egypt’s Mohamed Salah once again proved to be Liverpool’s talisman as his brace helped the Reds to a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Southampton at St. Mary’s Stadium. The win shot Liverpool eight points clear at the top of the Premier League.
The result keeps Liverpool firmly in control of the Premier League title race, with Salah’s display once again proving his value to the team.
