Liverpool fans labelled ‘disgusting’ and ‘lame’ for Trent Alexander-Arnold reception on Anfield return | OneFootball

Liverpool fans have been called “disgusting” and “lame” after booing Trent Alexander-Arnold following his first return to Anfield.

The idea of the Liverpool academy star being booed at their home ground would have seemed crazy just 12 months ago but his decision to run down his contract and move to Real Madrid has seen the English full-back become public enemy no.1 on Merseyside.

Before the game, a mural of Alexander-Arnold near Anfield was defaced and during the warm-up, he was booed by fans who had got to their seats early.

But Alexander-Arnold was told in no uncertain terms how the home supporters felt about him when he was greeted with a chorus of boos after being subbed into the game in the 81st minute.

Ever since, pundits and former players have been giving their verdict on whether it was ‘right’ for the fans to do so and one man who very much did not think it was okay was Peter Schmeichel.

The former United goalkeeper, who works as a pitch-side pundit for CBS, said it was “disgusting” and that the reaction should have been a lot different.

“I find it annoying, disgusting in a way,” he said. “He’s won every trophy and given them 20 years of his career. He should be welcomed back as a hero.”

That was an opinion shared by the Daily Mail who went for the rather American insult of calling it ‘lame’.

‘Booed on to the field for the warm-ups, he merely smiled in that faintly distant way of his,’ columnist Ian Ladyman wrote. ‘Then a chat and a cuddle with former team-mates Cody Gakpo and Curtis Jones followed. It was all a little predictable and, if we are honest, a little lame.’

Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso also said he predicted the reception would be a little frosty but said the player handled it well.

“It was an intense game, and we know the atmosphere in Anfield on a Champions League night in a European ‘Clasico’. We needed his quality and we needed his threat from the wing.

“[His reception] could be expected. He is professional and mature. He was ready for that, no problem.”

Over in Spain, the Barcelona-based newspaper Mundo Deportivo said Madrid failed to use the boos to spur the team on.

‘The Englishman, as expected, was booed on his return to Anfield and when he touched the ball the whole stadium turned on him,’ journalist Mario Calderón wrote.

‘That should have spurred Real Madrid on a little more, but nothing could have been further from the truth, as Courtois once again became the hero against Salah.’

One man who had no problem with the boos was Jamie Carragher who has often criticised the way Alexander-Arnold handled his exit.

The former Liverpool captain said the player had “hoodwinked” the fans and so was deserving of his reception.

“I don’t agree with what you said there,” he said in response to Schmeichel’s comments. “Supporters decide what type of reaction he gets. The reason why it will be poor is because Trent, throughout those 20 years, has played the position of ‘I’m a supporter on the pitch.’

“The supporters in the stadium wouldn’t leave on a free transfer and go and play for Real Madrid. OK, it’s his career and he only gets one. He’s a young man and he’s been brilliantly successful.

“But what he’s said since he got in the Liverpool team, if that were to be true, that Liverpool is the only team for him and he wants to be captain and be a legend here, then you don’t leave when you’ve just won the league title and you’ve got the opportunity to go and win more trophies with your club.

“You join a club that’s beaten you twice in the Champions League final and they’re the club you want to compete more to win more Champions Leagues? I totally understand the reaction of the supporters.

“A lot of it is because they feel they’ve been hoodwinked a little bit by Trent throughout the process of him being at the club and also in the last year, where he hasn’t done any media interviews or said anything.

“There was talk around him, Salah and Van Dijk – who were both coming out constantly in the press saying they want to stay. Trent was very silent on the issue – and that’s where the frustration comes from for supporters.”