Trent Alexander-Arnold received no shortage of criticism after Liverpool’s draw with Manchester United, amid Real Madrid’s interest in the full-back.
Alexander-Arnold is one of three key Liverpool stars out of contract this summer, along with Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk, and uncertainty remains about his future.
Real Madrid made a bid for the 26-year-old before the January transfer window opened, then a disappointing individual display against Manchester United led pundit Roy Keane to suggest that “the way he's defending, he’ll be going to Tranmere Rovers after this”.
Former Liverpool star gives his verdict
Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey admits that Alexander-Arnold did struggle defensively in last weekend’s 2-2 draw.
“It’s something that we’ve spoken about year on year for Trent,” he said. “We never talk about his on-ball abilities. It’s off-ball abilities, isn't it? It’s defending. It’s positional play. It’s aggression. He didn’t show any of them against Man United.
“It looked like United actually went at him. They targeted him. I think his team-mates could have helped him out a bit more. As a player, if I know someone’s not doubling up, and I can see that players are really getting at my team-mate, I would come across and help him. You can’t just leave him on his own to be taken on.
“I get it, sometimes you need to be able to deal with one v ones, but if you're not dealing with the one v ones well enough, then his team-mates must help out. There are 11 people on the pitch.”
Heskey understands why a move to Real Madrid might be tempting, and is surprised that Liverpool have allowed Alexander-Arnold to reach the final few months of his contract in this situation.
“The reality is he’s won the league at Liverpool – there are only one or two clubs that will draw you away from Liverpool, which is Real Madrid and Barcelona, so it’s a really difficult one,” he said, speaking in association with Instant Casino.
“My thing about it is, he’s coming to the end of his contract. Two years into that contract, why were we not talking about extending that?
“It just baffles me that someone you rate really highly as a local lad and someone that potentially could be captain going into later years, you've let his contract run out.
“I don’t know if it’s on both sides or it’s on one or the other. It just shouldn’t have come to that point.”
Increased scrutiny
Liverpool host Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup on Saturday, before returning to Premier League action at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.
Heskey is concerned that there will now be even more scrutiny on every game Alexander-Arnold plays.
“Of course, after the United game, it wasn’t Trent’s best game, and the questions are being asked about his commitment. Has his head been turned by Real Madrid?” he said.
“I don’t think that’s the case, but after every poor result, every time he has a bad game, with that contract unsigned and his future unresolved, those questions will be asked every single time.”
