How Mo Salah reacted to Trent Alexander-Arnold boos as what Liverpool fans sung spoke volumes

Trent Alexander-Arnold probably would have known what was coming. So too Arne Slot.

The Liverpool head coach might have pondered whether it was wise to bring on the vice-captain. Slot is well aware that Alexander-Arnold’s decision to leave his boyhood club at the end of his contract ahead of an expected move to Real Madrid has not gone down well with all supporters.

But Slot insisted at his pre-match press conference that it was not up to him to tell fans how they should feel. The Liverpool head coach’s responsibility, as he put it, is to win football games. Even if the Reds have already sewn up the Premier League title, Slot felt that beating Arsenal was what the players and staff at the club worked towards all week and there was a duty to try to deliver a triumph against the second-best team in England.

Clearly, Slot believed Liverpool’s best chance of achieving that was by bringing on who he described as a world-class player. There have been arguments made that perhaps Jarell Quansah or Wataru Endo could have been brought on if Conor Bradley could not continue. But put feelings aside, even those vexed by Alexander-Arnold’s decision to depart cannot deny his quality.

It is the circumstances that Alexander-Arnold is leaving which have rankled large sections of Kopites. Last September, the right-back claimed his future will be dictated by winning trophies. He is saying goodbye to the Premier League champions who feel at the start of their journey.

It also irks many that Liverpool are not banking a fee. Granted, the Reds have had their money’s worth manifold out of a player who has helped the club win eight major trophies. But Alexander-Arnold is someone who could command a price tag in excess of £50 million - probably closer to £100 million.

What compounds the anger is that he is moving to Real Madrid. The claim they are not a direct rival is folly. Since 2018, Los Blancos have beaten Liverpool in two Champions League finals and knocked them out of Europe’s elite club competition on two other occasions.

When it was clear that Alexander-Arnold would be introduced against Arsenal in the 67th minute, with the Reds holding a 2-1 lead at that stage, a rendition of Steven Gerrard’s song was bellowed. Gerrard could have joined any club in the world during his playing career but instead opted to stay loyal to Liverpool. Despite having a dalliance with Chelsea, the former midfielder decided winning fewer trophies with the Reds would mean more to him than claiming prizes at Stamford Bridge or elsewhere. That is why Gerrard remains adored.

And after Alexander-Arnold entered the pitch, ‘There’s only one Conor Bradley’ was chanted. Bradley started ahead of Alexander-Arnold, with Slot beginning to plan for next campaign. Bradley could be the successor.

In fairness, there were some who stuck up for Alexander-Arnold. Others remained quiet. But in truth, there felt like there are more fans than not who feel the West Derby lad is persona non grata at the team he’s represented since the age of six.

Mo Salah raised an arm at the boos, seemingly telling them to stop. Curtis Jones, another homegrown product, embraced his fellow Scouser when coming off the pitch. After the 2-2 draw, Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo were also not happy and tried to stick up for their team-mate. It appears that the stance of Liverpool’s squad may be different to segments of those who sit in the stands.

Alexander-Arnold has been serenaded countless times. His quick corner in the remarkable comeback over Barcelona has been cherished by so many. But. ultimately, football is a game where emotions run high and Alexander-Arnold’s decision has ramifications.