Trent Alexander-Arnold scored the winner at the King Power Stadium on Sunday – Reuters/Andrew Boyers
Trent Alexander-Arnold should not start games for Liverpool if he has told the club he is leaving, Jamie Carragher has said.
Alexander-Arnold’s future is in considerable doubt amid Real Madrid interest in the right back, whose contract expires this summer. He scored on his return from injury on Sunday as Liverpool beat Leicester 1-0 to put one hand on the Premier League title.
Former Liverpool captain Carragher believes Alexander-Arnold should be left out of the side unless he has committed his future to Arne Slot’s side.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future at Anfield remains uncertain – Getty Images/Paul Ellis
“If Trent hasn’t committed to the manager for next season, he shouldn’t be starting games,” Carragher said on Sky Sports.
“It’s not about: ‘Let’s give Trent a send-off.’ It’s about: ‘We need to assess whether Conor Bradley is the guy for us next season playing week in, week out.’
“The decision Liverpool have is: ‘Does Conor Bradley become our first-choice right back and we buy a back-up player?’ or ‘Are we buying a first-choice right back and Conor Bradley is going to have to battle with him?’
“So that lad [Bradley] needs as much experience as he can get. So, yes, bring [Alexander-Arnold] on if you need to go and win the game.
“But, in terms of starting games, if Trent hasn’t committed to the club, Conor Bradley should be starting every game.”
Conor Bradley will be asked to step into the sizeable gap left by Alexander-Arnold – Getty Images/Liverpool FC
Alexander-Arnold removed his shirt in celebration after scoring at the King Power but asked whether anything could be read into the emotional reaction, Carragher said: “Not really.
“He hasn’t really spoken all season about his future. Whether a decision has already been made, I think most people think it has.
“It’s difficult for him to give an honest answer. The frustration with Liverpool fans is that, throughout the process with Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, it was always under the remit they wanted to stay.
“That tells you everything with Trent, who’s a local boy. Most of us probably know what’s going to happen.”
