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Arne Slot shows true colours after Trent Alexander-Arnold booed by Liverpool fans

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has addressed Trent Alexander-Arnold being booed by some Liverpool supporters after coming off the bench in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal

[Liverpool manager Arne Slot brought Trent Alexander-Arnold on as a substitute against Arsenal]

Liverpool manager Arne Slot brought Trent Alexander-Arnold on as a substitute against Arsenal(Image: AP)

Arne Slot refused to slam the Liverpool faithful for jeering Trent Alexander-Arnold during his second-half cameo in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal.

Liverpool-born Alexander-Arnold, who angered many Reds supporters last Monday (May 5) by announcing he'll be leaving at the end of his contract in June - when he is expected to join Real Madrid on a free transfer - began the game on Sunday on the bench, as Conor Bradley got the nod from Slot.

The Premier League champions looked set for three points after Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz netted in the first half, but the Gunners hit back post-interval with strikes from Gabriel Martinelli and Mikel Merino, who saw red later on for a rash challenge on Diogo Jota.

Alexander-Arnold joined the fray as part of a triple substitution by Slot, entering the pitch alongside Alexis Mac Allister and Darwin Nunez with about 25 minutes left on the clock. The vice-captain was greeted with a chorus of boos, especially when he got his first touch of the ball.

But with rumours swirling about a switch to the Spanish giants who have beat Liverpool in two Champions League finals in the last seven years, Slot reckons the fans have every right to their feelings about the homegrown star's impending exit, reports the Liverpool Echo.

[Trent Alexander-Arnold was booed by some Liverpool fans]

Trent Alexander-Arnold was booed by some Liverpool fans

"I said to everyone that asked this question that it is a privilege to live in Europe where everyone can have his own opinion and express their own opinion and that is what we saw today," the Liverpool gaffer commented.

"Some of them were not happy with him. All of them are not happy with him leaving the club but a few of them showed it in a way that they booed him and some of them clapped."

Slot also justified his tactical decisions during the match and the decision to play Alexander-Arnold. He said: "The only thing I can say is I owe it to the players and staff who work so hard to win a game of football.

"To try to do that and if, after 70 minutes, Conor can't continue and I have a world-class full back on the bench I bring him in and it's a big compliment to him."

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He also praised the player's resilience, stating: "You can understand the mixed emotions going through his head and he can produce a performance like that tells me why I think and everyone else thinks he's a world-class full-back."

Slot emphasised the defender's commitment to the squad, adding: "With him, we were quite close to winning the game and that's what I owe to every player in the dressing room who works so hard every day."

On the topic of player departures, Slot said: "It is definitely difficult for him [to leave]. He said himself how difficult it was to leave this club and that is important for us as well, we have to make it as difficult as possible. Fortunately for us, many stay like Virgil [van Dijk] and Mo [Mohamed Salah]."

[Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk also would have been out of contract at Liverpool this summer but committed their future to the champions]

Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk also would have been out of contract at Liverpool this summer but committed their future to the champions(Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)

Regarding the player's reaction to the crowd, Slot said: "It's the way you want to look at it, I haven't asked him. Maybe he is positively surprised how the reactions were, I don't know, I haven't spoken to him.

"It was clear there were mixed reactions, it wasn't all negative and as it went onwards, the moment he had to take the free-kick, everybody was cheering for him to score and he was close.

"I am not sure if he has negative feelings about today... maybe, maybe, I haven't spoken to him. It's not even that negative as you suppose it is."

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