Trent Alexander-Arnold during the Premier League match at Anfield on Sunday
Trent Alexander-Arnold during the Premier League match at Anfield on Sunday
Arsenal was a game I'd been waiting for my whole life. Getting to watch the Reds in a packed out Anfield when they were officially the champions of England is what I'd dreamed about in all my years as a Liverpool FC season ticket holder.
The only time I got to experience Liverpool in the flesh as confirmed champions before was when I was lucky enough to land a ticket in the ballot for the match against West Brom in the 20/21 season. However, entering the ground wearing a mask before singing "bring on the champions" in a half empty Kop, complying with social distancing regulations, was hardly how I had envisioned celebrating a league win.
Sunday was much more like it's supposed to be as Anfield was a sea of red and everyone was in a party mood, ready to bask in the glory of number 20, as the team played against their closest competitors.
The first 45 minutes was up there with the best I'd experienced in L4 as the champions put Arsenal to the sword in thrilling fashion and showed exactly why there wasn't much of a title race this season.
The atmosphere was everything a game celebrating number 20 should have been, with an emotional You'll Never Walk Alone, followed by red balloons flying around the Kop and people bouncing to Arne Slot's new song.
Even though the intensity on the pitch dropped in the second half and Arsenal pulled one back, The Kop remained in full voice, with a 5 minute plus rendition of Federico Chiesa's catchy chant making it feel like nothing could sour the occasion.
However, we all know what happened in the 67th minute when a triple substitution that now seems incredibly misguided changed the mood entirely. Liverpool fans will never react well to a player choosing to leave the club, particularly someone who has grown up in the city and was branded "the Scouser in our team".
While the pressure on a local player to stay at the same team can be seen as unfairly high, it is also true that Trent Alexander-Arnold has handled his looming exit particularly badly. Timing is one issue, with fans unsurprisingly confused at why he would choose to leave when the team is arguably the best in Europe.
And while the number 66 has repeatedly shared his desire to keep contract negotiations behind closed doors, the less he has spoken about his future has actually invited more suspicion from fans, with many taking to social media to share theories on whether his departure on a free has been more calculated than it seems.
The announcement confirming his exit last week with three games still remaining was again poorly timed, but it didn't come as a massive shock to me. The move has felt on the cards for the majority of the season and I have had many months to come to terms with the fact Liverpool's future will be without the academy graduate.
This is why I have largely felt apathy to his impending departure, especially given the context of it being during a Premier League title win that was beyond my wildest imaginations. What's added to the feeling of just not being that bothered by it is the Premier League win has not hinged on Alexander-Arnold's contributions in the same way he has previously been more pivotal to the team's success.
Simply put, Alexander-Arnold is a special talent, but Liverpool's continued success is not founded upon whether he remains at the club in the same way it was with someone like Steven Gerrard. The club is in a healthy position and will be fine after his exit, as where he fits in the side with his unique skillset has become increasingly difficult to define since conversations gained pace on whether he is actually more suited to a central midfield role.
Rumours surrounding interest in Jeremie Frimpong today represent an exciting look into the future of how the side might evolve for a post Alexander-Arnold Liverpool.
While these are the reasons I haven't felt any overwhelming anger over the last few weeks and it has barely occupied my thoughts, I agree that every fan is entitled to their own opinion. While booing is not and never will be for me, I understand those stung by his departure wanted to send a message, in the only place they could, on how they believe the manner of his expected move to a European rival has been unacceptable.
But the way this continued after his introduction with every time he touched the ball when the Reds were trying to win the game is something that has never happened inside Anfield before. Whether Alexander-Arnold deserved the boos is not really the point, as the saddest thing about it all was how it divided The Kop in a way I've never seen.
Many fans shared my opinion and refused to boo, but this split led to an ugly atmosphere in the ground. Fans trying to put an end to the jeers ended up in spiky confrontations, and I saw an incident when supporters stepped in to quickly ease the tension from an escalating argument between two people in the crowd.
The first 45 minutes in the ground was everything I could have wanted, but the final 30 is up there with the worst I've ever felt inside Anfield, which is staggering given what the occasion should have been. There have obviously been bad games and low moments from my times attending the match at Anfield, but the crowd has always felt united behind the same cause.
Sunday was like living inside a nightmare Twitter argument that had manifested into reality, when two sides, vociferously backing their point, would never come to an agreement.
Seeing the fanbase split and arguing with each other in the stands like this left me overwhelmed with unease and it was hard to comprehend how such a positive atmosphere had managed to be taken over by negativity.
Liverpool had two opportunities at Anfield to soak in the joy of a 20th league title win. The first has sadly been overshadowed by a sideshow, involving a player who will not be a part of Liverpool's future and doesn't deserve to dominate the headlines at such a momentous time in the club's history.
It's vital a line is drawn under it after this weekend and, as fans, we can tailor our focus to what's really important: Being united in joy to witness something a generation of people never have before when the Reds lift the league title on May 25.