‘hoodwinked’—trent Alexander Arnold Boos Justified By Liverpool Legend

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher forcefully defended nan Anfield crowd’s dispute reception of Trent Alexander-Arnold, explaining that fans felt arsenic though they had been “hoodwinked” by nan academy graduate.

Alexander-Arnold left Liverpool for Real Madrid nether a unreality of contention past summer. The boyhood Reds instrumentality allowed his statement to expire, inciting nan fury of a fanbase which had adored nan immensely talented homegrown player.

Liverpool fans vehemently booed Alexander-Arnold aft nan news of his imminent departure collapsed astatine nan extremity of past season. The hostility had not been quelled complete nan consequent six months. A mural dedicated to nan proud Scouser was defaced up of Real Madrid’s Champions League conflict pinch Liverpool astatine Anfield connected Tuesday night, pinch nan words “adios el rata”—grammatically incorrect Spanish for “goodbye rat”—spray-painted on nan bottom.

Xabi Alonso only afforded Alexander-Arnold 9 minutes of action disconnected nan chair during nan 1–0 defeat, yet each of his 10 touches were drowned retired pinch whistles and boos.

Ex-Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel labelled nan curen Alexander-Arnold had received from his erstwhile fans “disgusting” during CBS Sports’ coverage. “He's won each trophy and fixed them 20 years of his career. He should beryllium welcomed backmost arsenic a hero.”

Unlike Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jamie Carragher stayed astatine Liverpool his full career. / IMAGO/Pro Sports Images

Schmeichel’s chap pundit and a erstwhile Liverpool icon successful his ain right, Carragher, offered a beardown counterpoint. “I don’t work together pinch what you said there. Supporters determine what type of guidance he gets. The logic why it will beryllium mediocre is because Trent, passim those 20 years, has played nan position of ‘I’m a protagonist connected nan pitch.’

“The supporters successful nan stadium wouldn’t time off connected a free transportation and spell and play for Real Madrid. O.K., it’s his profession and he only gets one. He’s a young man and he’s been brilliantly successful.

“But what he’s said since he sewage successful nan Liverpool team, if that were to beryllium true, that Liverpool is nan only squad for him and he wants to beryllium skipper and beryllium a fable here, past you don’t time off erstwhile you’ve conscionable won nan convention title and you’ve sewage nan opportunity to spell and triumph much trophies pinch your club.

“You subordinate a nine that’s beaten you doubly successful nan Champions League last and they’re nan nine you want to compete much to triumph much Champions Leagues? I wholly understand nan guidance of nan supporters.

“A batch of it is because they consciousness they’ve been hoodwinked a small spot by Trent passim nan process of him being astatine nan nine and besides successful nan past year, wherever he hasn’t done immoderate media interviews aliases said anything.

“There was talk astir him, [Mohamed] Salah and [Virgil] Van Dijk—who were some coming retired perpetually successful nan property saying they want to stay. Trent was very silent connected nan issue—and that’s wherever nan vexation comes from for supporters.”

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s each touch was booed. / Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images

Alexander-Arnold’s erstwhile Liverpool teammate Virgil van Dijk offered small consolation while Madrid head Xabi Alonso dismissed nan curen arsenic “typical.” Thibaut Courtois belatedly offered immoderate consolation.

“It’s a pity,” Madrid’s awesome goalkeeper sighed to beIN Sports. “Obviously, I’m not judging nan fans, they’re entitled to their ain opinion. But he’s a young kid who played each his profession pinch Liverpool, and we only person 1 career, and we each person dreams.

“I dream that nan fans tin forgive him successful nan longer term, and yet he tin travel back, and they’ll honour him for each nan trophies he won.”

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