Trent Alexander-Arnold's shaky performance against Manchester United was affected by suggestions of a recent Real Madrid bid, says Jamie Carragher.
The Liverpool right-back, who has been heavily linked with Real this week, had a game to forget as United frustrated the Premier League leaders with a fightback 2-2 display at Anfield included Great week.
Alexander-Arnold, now in the final six months of his contract at his boyhood club, struggled to establish himself and was at fault for the visitors' first goal.
“I thought he was really poor,” Carragher said. “The game couldn't have gone much worse for him, the focus will always be on him.
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Highlights of the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester United
“I expected him to show the performances he has often given where he dominates the game from right-back. He is a playmaker. I felt that the Manchester United system would play into his hands, that there would be a lot of space to put his head up and put in crosses.
“I thought he was going to think about how everyone was talking negatively about him, and he had a really great performance. He was bad defensively, but nothing was going on the ball.
“Only he knows if the story affected him, but the fact that he was so bad in the first game after Real Madrid made an offer tells me it must have affected him.”
Alexander-Arnold was eventually substituted – replaced by deputy right-back Conor Bradley – in the closing stages of the game and Gary Neville asked if what he called Real's “insulting” offer had played its part.
“I think the offer from Real Madrid is a bad time for him,” Neville said.
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Liverpool manager Arne Slott said that Alexander-Arnold's performance against Manchester United was not due to links with Real Madrid
“I don't know what's going to happen, whether he's going to leave Liverpool and go to Real Madrid or not, but if it's going to be a big game for you, and you're a local guy, it's not going to be easy, the distractions because of all the noise.
“Real Madrid are hellish animals. I thought it was insulting, to be honest, from Real Madrid. They act like that sometimes, they think they can get what they want.
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“Liverpool are a huge growth football club. They're never going to sell Trent Alexander-Arnold for £20m in January, so you're taking the Mickey a bit. I think that's probably going to upset him this week.
“Some guys see Liverpool and Manchester United as part of their career. It's brilliant and they love it, but they want to explore.
“When I look at Trent, he looks like a guy who wants to go and explore Real Madrid. He wants to go and play in different parts of the world.”
Trent for Tranmere?
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Roy Keane was not impressed with Alexander-Arnold's first-half defense against Manchester United
Roy Keane suggested Alexander-Arnold should move to Tranmere rather than Real Madrid after criticizing his “schoolboy defence” against Manchester United.
Analyzing the chances for Amado Diallo and Rasmus Hojlund after questionable defending, Keane said: “It's too easy. We talk about how Trent is brilliant going forward, but Trent defending today – my God, it's like a schoolboy.
“There's talk of him going to Real Madrid, the way he's defending that he's going to Tranmere Rovers after this. He's got to be better.”