Trent Alexander-Arnold was booed by some Liverpool fans during Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal at Anfield, just days after confirming he will leave the club at the end of the season. His teammate Andrew Robertson admitted it was “not nice” to hear fans jeering him.
The 26-year-old right-back, who is widely expected to join Real Madrid, announced his decision to leave Liverpool last Monday. This was his first game at Anfield since the news, and he came on as a substitute in the 67th minute.
While some fans applauded the academy graduate—who has won two Premier League titles and a Champions League with Liverpool—others booed him, especially when he was on the ball during the second half.
Despite the distraction, the match ended 2-2, with Arsenal coming back from two goals down even after Mikel Merino was sent off late in the game.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot had said before the match that he wouldn’t tell fans how to respond to the situation. Slot left Alexander-Arnold out of the starting XI, instead picking 21-year-old Conor Bradley, who is seen as his long-term replacement. The Anfield crowd chanted Bradley’s name during the match.
Speaking after the game, Robertson said: “There’s a lot of emotion around this. For Trent, it hasn’t been easy. He’s made his decision, but of course, it’s not nice to see a mate getting booed. I can’t tell fans how to feel, but personally, I’m proud of him. I love him as a teammate and a friend—he’ll be missed.”
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher also criticised the fans’ reaction.
“That’s what people will be talking about—Trent getting booed,” Carragher said. “There’s no doubt some supporters are upset about him leaving, and I understand that.
“But in my view, no player who wears the Liverpool shirt and gives everything on the pitch should be booed. I get the frustration, especially from locals, but booing your own player while he’s playing isn’t right.”
