Liverpool manager Arne Slot has praised Trent Alexander-Arnold for fending off criticism last week, highlighted by an influential performance during Saturday’s 4-0 FA Cup win over Accrington Stanley.
The England defender, who captained the Reds against League Two, made a quick pass to Darwin Nunez in the build-up to Liverpool’s first goal before doubling the advantage with a powerful shot into the top corner.
The 26-year-old faced heavy criticism following Sunday’s 2-2 Premier League draw at home to Manchester United, who scored both goals on the right side.
This comes after speculation about Alexander-Arnold’s future at Liverpool, who is also out of contract in the summer, with Real Madrid reportedly interested in signing him this month or possibly on a free transfer.
“I could talk about that goal for hours,” Slot said of Alexander-Arnold’s 20-yard shot. “The greatest compliment Trent could receive was everyone’s reaction [on Saturday] after the match against Manchester United.
“Every player in the world, except maybe a few, has poor play and that is completely normal. But the moment Trent has a game like that, everyone has an opinion on it.
“Perhaps this is due to the situation in the contract. If it weren’t for that, I don’t know if people would have reacted the same way.”
Former Premier League striker Glenn Murray, speaking to Final Score, described Alexander-Arnold’s strike just after half-time as “Beckham-style”, referring to former England captain David Beckham’s similar goals.
“He makes it look so easy,” Murray said. “His technique is sublime, the way he hits the ball.”
Alexander-Arnold was a top target for Beckham’s former club Real Madrid, current La Liga and European champions, but former England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis said she would not be surprised if other teams expressed interest.
“Real Madrid are one of his suitors, but I think he could go pretty much anywhere he wanted if he wanted to,” she added.
