Trent Alexander-Arnold is obviously distracted and his performances have shown that but it’s beginning to be a real problem for Liverpool and one that Arne Slot needs to ponder.
Will he? Won’t he? The 2024/25 season has been thrilling but it has also been extremely stressful.
Liverpool fans currently have no idea whether or not Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk or Mohamed Salah will be at the club when the 2025/26 season rolls around.
Trent, in particular, is the subject of intense speculation with the Real Madrid press seemingly convinced that he will make the switch to Spain when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Whatever the case may be, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that the Scouser is not fully focused on his football as his display against Bournemouth showed.
Trent leaves the pitch injured after an uninspiring display
Arne Slot was forced to take Alexander-Arnold off after 70 minutes when he pulled up with a hamstring injury. Conor Bradley came on and did a decent job in his stead but the nature of the no.66’s display is cause for concern.
Before he was taken off, Trent misplaced 21 passes, registering a 64% pass accuracy although he did play two key passes, according to Sofascore.
Trent was dribbled past four times and made two errors leading to a shot on goal and not for the first time this season, Virgil van Dijk could be seen looking furious with his right back.
In fact, the first time it happened in the game came just seconds into the match when he dawdled on the ball before being dispossessed by Semenyo.
Trent Alexander-Arnold “woeful” against Cherries, says Nicol
Former Liverpool star Steve Nicol, who appears on ESPN FC, was livid with Trent and claims the defender has made zero progress defensively despite claims to the contrary earlier this season.
The pundit said: “I keep looking at Alexander-Arnold, and honestly, today, that whole propaganda that we were listening to at the start of the season about how his defending is better.
“That’s all that was, propaganda, today he was absolutely woeful, so bad. I think he would have been taken off anyway had he not picked up a knock, he was that bad defensively.”
Whatever the issue is, Arne Slot needs to get on top of it. It’s not the Dutch manager’s fault by any means but with every game now a must-win, it’s worrying to see Alexander-Arnold regressing.
If his head is truly in Madrid, he shouldn’t be starting.
Latest on Trent Alexander-Arnold injury
Speaking after full-time, Arne Slot provided an update of sorts on the injury that forced Trent to leave the pitch.
Slot told his post-match press conference: “The situation was that he said to me, ‘You have to take me off’ and he sat on the floor and we took him off.
“He felt something, I can’t tell you exactly what and how bad it is of course because we are one hour after the game, but it is never a good sign if a player is asking for a substitution.
“This is not a fact but I would be surprised if he plays on Thursday, but let’s hope he is back with us as soon as possible.”