Real Madrid star Trent Alexander-Arnold made a swift return to Liverpool just months after leaving Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Ian Wright sharing thoughts on the boos he received
Trent Alexander-Arnold was booed by Liverpool supporters on his return to Anfield with Real Madrid
Trent Alexander-Arnold was booed by Liverpool supporters on his return to Anfield with Real Madrid
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Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Ian Wright are the latest pundits to provide verdicts on the reaction of Liverpool supporters to Trent Alexander-Arnold's Anfield return with Real Madrid in the Champions League. The 27-year-old was named on the bench, but played the final nine minutes with boos arriving every time he touched the ball.
Alexander-Arnold departed the Premier League champions this past summer and opted to join Real with the majority of Liverpool fans taking a dim view to his decision. With that in mind, it is perhaps no surprise he received a hostile reception when back playing football on Merseyside.
Despite that, Keane, Wright and Neville have all issued very different comments, but the trio are seemingly all in agreement it was wrong for him to be booed.
"The reputation of Liverpool fans is that there loyal and a level up from most supporters," Keane said when speaking on the latest episode of Stick To Football. "But I think for any player to go back, to boo him, people pay their money to go and that's fine, you're not going to argue with supporters but..."
Wright interjected: "You know what Roy when you look at him, when he was a youngster, he'd have been dreaming of winning all those things for Liverpool. He'd think 'one day I'll leave and I can come back and it will be great', but the fact is when he was getting ready to leave, that is what he was thinking about.
"So I was more concerned for him when Liverpool [supporters] were booing him when he was there. He would have expected that last night, especially with the way he left, and that was the saddest thing that he had to deal with that.
"But that's what happens especially when you choose somebody else, especially over Liverpool, they're going to hold that against you."
Keane replied: "I know Jamie made a point over the last few days, comparing it to Van Dijk and Salah, but they're older players that have had experience abroad, Trent is mid-20s, his contract is up and he has the chance to try something completely different."
Neville then stated rather brutally: "Also Roy, it is Real Madrid."
Keane retorted: "Of course, but Liverpool fans will obviously think 'we are the biggest club in the world' like all supporters. I'm not saying you give him the thumbs up for leaving you, but why would you go to a match and boo a lad who has played 260/270 games, stats are fantastic.
Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold
Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold greet at Anfield.(Image: (Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images))
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"You don't have to wish him luck in Madrid but to go to the effort of thinking, 'I'm going to boo this kid' as a local lad and Liverpool fans for some reason think we've got class, no Liverpool fans have to have a good look at themselves.
"The beauty with Trent over the last year or two is that he has said very little, he's not been one to say, 'oh I'd love to stay here', he has actually kept his mouth shut and sometimes that's not a bad thing to do. How many times do you see players say, 'oh I love this club' and then they leave. He kept it cool.
"It's just an experience for the kid, again to compare him to Van Dijk and Salah, they have played in Europe and moved clubs. But for a young player to go and try something new, to boo the kid [scoffs], bloody hell, you don't have to cheer him on but don't boo him."
While the general consensus was it was unfair for him to receive such a reception, Liverpool supporters will have enjoyed Paul Scholes' brief comment on the topic.
"He probably left a better team to go to a worse team," the former Manchester United midfielder suggested.
And in fairness that was proven by Liverpool's victory over Los Blancos with Alexis Mac Allister grabbing the winner and Thibaut Courtois forced to make multiple excellent saves.
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