Sports Desk:

Liverpool manager Arne Slot dismissed claims that transfer rumors impacted Trent Alexander-Arnold’s focus after his struggles against Manchester United. Slot credited United’s attacking quality for Trent’s performance and reaffirmed the defender’s importance to Liverpool’s plans despite speculation about his future.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has backed Trent Alexander-Arnold after the full-back’s underwhelming performance in his side’s 2-2 draw against Manchester United, dismissing speculation that transfer rumors are affecting the player’s focus. Alexander-Arnold, long linked with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid, faced criticism for his struggles in containing United’s attacking threats at Old Trafford.

The English full-back, whose Anfield contract expires in June 2025, has become a key figure in the transfer rumor mill. With Real Madrid reportedly keen to secure his services, speculation has swirled about his future, potentially on a free transfer through a pre-contract agreement. However, Slot firmly ruled out these rumors as a distraction, instead attributing Alexander-Arnold’s struggles to the quality of United’s attacking players, including Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Dalot, and Rasmus Hojlund.

The Dutch manager defended his player, emphasising that even the best defenders can face tough outings against opponents of Manchester United’s calibre.

“I think nine out of 10 people will tell you that it affected him, but I’m one of the 10 that tells you that I don’t think that affected him. What affected him is that he had to play Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot, two starters for Portugal, great, great, great players,” Slot said during the post-match press conference.

“We have a fantastic player here with Diogo Jota, and he’s not even playing for Portugal. So that tells you how much quality United has. Probably everybody’s going to tell you that it had to do with the rumours. But my opinion is different,” he added.

Alexander-Arnold endured a difficult evening, with United repeatedly targeting his side of the pitch. Dalot’s overlapping runs and Hojlund’s movement proved challenging to contain, while Fernandes, operating in a free role, exploited spaces effectively. Despite his struggles, Slot maintained that the Liverpool star remains an integral part of the team and that one off-day should not overshadow his importance to the squad.

For Manchester United, the draw was a small step forward. It lifted them to 13th in the Premier League table, though they remain significantly off the pace in the race for European qualification. For fans, the result was a morale boost, showcasing the team’s ability to compete with the league leaders despite ongoing challenges.