Jamie Carragher has made it clear he 'doesn't agree' with Liverpool fans booing Trent Alexander-Arnold during Sunday's 2-2 draw with Arsenal.
The right-back didn’t start against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, but he was brought on as a 67th-minute substitute, replacing potential successor Conor Bradley.
The change was largely met with a chorus of applause and cheers for the 26-year-old, who has agreed to join Real Madrid upon the expiry of his contract, but there were also boos and jeers for the England international.
Carragher, who has been relatively outspoken on Alexander-Arnold’s decision to leave as a Liverpool icon himself, condemned the Liverpool supporters booing as ‘too far’ despite admitting the situation was ‘really hard for supporters’.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was unable to help Liverpool find a winner in Sunday's clash against Arsenal
PA
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Carragher said: “I don't know about a send-off or anything like that. He is choosing to leave. I don't agree with that [booing] today.
“But I don't think he should be given a big thing at the end of the season or given a microphone to do a big speech in front of the crowd.
“He is choosing to leave and that's why the frustration is there. That for me was a step too far. Sing other players' names, don't boo a player who's wearing a Liverpool shirt.”
“I’ve been in a dressing room where players left us to go to Barcelona and Real Madrid. It's really hard for supporters. You almost feel like they fall for it every time, ‘this player absolutely loves us’, and then they move on and go somewhere else.
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Jamie Carragher was quick to Trent Alexander-Arnold's defence
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The full-back described it as the ‘hardest decision’ he has ‘ever made’. Carragher understands Alexander-Arnold's desire to leave, claiming that most of the current Liverpool squad would also want to join Real Madrid should the opportunity arise.
He added: “I think team-mates in this dressing room would normally rally around most people 99 per cent of the time.
“Supporters of any football club right now will probably not want to hear this, but most players in that Liverpool dressing room probably want to play for Real Madrid.
“I’ve been in a dressing room where players left us to go to Barcelona and Real Madrid. It's really hard for supporters. You almost feel like they fall for it every time, ‘this player absolutely loves us’, and then they move on and go somewhere else.
“Players don't think like supporters. A lot of those players in the dressing room will think they'd love to play for Real Madrid.”
Liverpool boss Arne Slot was, as ever, straight to the point in his post-match interview, saying: “There were people who were not so happy, there were people who were happy for him. They clapped for him. A few of them booed.
"Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Towards the end, a few of them got more and more positive.
“I owe it to the team, to the fans, to play a team that can win a game of football. Trent showed it because he had two or three incredible balls.
“We were so close to winning it, partly because of him. For me, it's not that difficult. And for the fans, they can have the reaction they want. I will always back my players.”
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Arne Slot said that 'everyone is entitled to their own opinion' over Trent Alexander-Arnold's decision to leave
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Andrew Robertson, who has often been seen as Alexander-Arnold’s partner in crime on the opposite flank, said he was ‘disappointed’ to be losing his ‘best mate’, describing Alexander-Arnold as ‘amazing’ and that he had ‘taken me to levels where I never knew existed’.
“He's made a choice”, Robertson said. “His legacy at this club is obvious there to see. The trophies he's won, the moments he's had in history will always be there.
“It's an emotional decision. For Trent, it's not been an easy one. Of course it's not. But he's made the decision. It's not nice to see a friend get booed, it wasn't nice.
“I love him as a player, I love him as a friend. He will be missed as one of my best friends in the game.”
Despite going 2-0 up in the first half, Alexander-Arnold was unable to help his current club to victory against Arsenal, with the north London side scoring two second half goals to earn a well-deserved point in a tightly-contested game at the summit of the Premier League.
Arsenal were down to ten men for the final ten minutes after Mikel Merino picked up a second yellow card for a rash tackle.
Liverpool did have a goal disallowed at the death, and were unable to make the most of their personnel advantage.
It counts for very little, however, with the Reds already Premier League champions.
