Liverpool

With speculation around Trent Alexander-Arnold's Liverpool future continuing to rumble on, we asked for your views on how the club should handle the delicate situation.

Here are some of your comments:

Steven: Let the manager decide. One bad match does not make him terrible but this has the potential to become a distraction. It is clear he wants to go, so do it now.

Fraser: Keep him. As much as I was bitterly disappointed with his performance on Sunday, we should try to keep him as much as possible (including the summer). He is still a great player and has a lot to prove. However, if he keeps on playing like he did on Sunday and puts in no effort, he should not act surprised if he finds Conor Bradley or Joe Gomez (when he returns from injury) starting ahead of him in some games.

Neil: Let him go. He's not a full-back - he can't defend and teams know that. Both of Manchester United's goals on Sunday came down his side. Bradley, Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas are as good going forward as Trent - but they can also defend.

Mike: We are stronger for having him in the team. Anyone can have a bad game so try not to overreact. He could help this situation by either signing a new contract or coming out and saying he wants to try somewhere new. It would be far better to just be honest. If he is to leave, say so and then concentrate on winning a Premier League title. The best way to leave.

David: Sell him now. If he cannot make up his mind by now after all the years he has been with us it is time to move on and give us a chance to regroup. We need to accept he is looking elsewhere.

Phil: Too good to lose for nothing, but a bit of loyalty wouldn't go amiss. How much do you need?

Image source, Getty Images

BBC chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your questions on all things Premier League.

Seamus asked: I can't help but feel that Liverpool are always playing on the edge of draws and wins by the sheer strength of their attack. If they get ahead they usually win. But their defence is shaky at best, if pressed. On Sunday, they were exposed for speed and were pressed. Do you feel they would be in as good a position now if other teams attacked them like Manchester United did?

Phil answered: Only Arsenal have a better defensive record in the Premier League than Liverpool, who have conceded 19 goals in 19 games, so there are not too many faults to pick at.

I do take your point, though, that Liverpool have looked a little vulnerable defensively on occasions this season.

When teams play against Liverpool, they have to achieve a fine balancing act between defensive solidity and ambition going forward because Arne Slot's side hold so many attacking cards in players like Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota. Over-commitment is a very dangerous game for anyone playing Liverpool.

The one team who got it absolutely spot on this season was Nuno Espirito Santo's Nottingham Forest, who won at Anfield in what is still Liverpool's only league defeat of the campaign.

Sell him? Sign him up? Put him on the bench?

How should Liverpool now handle the delicate Trent Alexander-Arnold situation from both a business and player-management perspective?

Send your thoughts here

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at Tottenham (kick-off 20:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Defender Joe Gomez "is injured and will be back in a few weeks" but otherwise there are no new injury concerns.

• Midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai did not train on Monday. Slot is hopeful he will on Tuesday but he remains a doubt.

• He said "the best line-up might be ones who don't start a lot" when asked about the possibility of squad rotation.

• On whether Caoimhin Kelleher will return in goal as he has done in previous cup ties: "I have decided the whole line-up already. You will find out tomorrow what arguments there are and I will be more than happy to answer those questions before or after the game."

• Slot said he spoke to Trent Alexander-Arnold after the Manchester United game, as he does with everyone else, and "showed him where to improve". On the criticism of Alexander-Arnold's performance: "We were all disappointed by the way we played and the result - not just Trent. Parts of our game we weren't completely happy with. It wasn't only Trent - there were more things we could have done better."

• He said all of his players know they can speak to him and "if there's anything worrying them, they share it".

• Slot went on to say that he is "not focused on social media posts or what people are saying", adding: "If you do that as Liverpool manager you will have no life because people are always talking about us."

• He said "the team is in a good place" but the club "always look at the market" to see if they can further strengthen the squad and this January is no different.

• On Spurs: "What we expect is two teams with a clear identity. That's what most people expect to see. Both teams trying to force it on the other. Large parts of the game two weeks ago we could show our identity, but they showed how good a team they are."

Follow all of Tuesday's news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

Trudging through the freezing snow and slush into Anfield on Sunday, I considered whether it would be a Manchester United mauling or possibly the dull, damp, drab disappointment that this fixture has sometimes served up.

I didn't even consider the possibility of a Premier League classic with the ever-growing excitement of a win or lose cup tie, laced with drama that just grew until the final whistle in front of a raucous and hugely vocal set of fans from both sides.

There were narratives enough to fill an airport page turner. The stories of Slot v Amorin and their varying tactics. I was asking the most obvious question of all long before the last two goals were scored - 'can United show this passion every week and if they can, will they manage European football this season rather than fight against relegation for the rest of the campaign?'

Where did Diogo Dalot's dashing performance come from and was it at least partly down to Trent Alexander-Arnold's paucity on the day? Would Darwin Nunez have been sent off for that 'challenge' anywhere else other than in front of The Kop?

I could go on but the thought in my head above all others was, why can't more Premier League games be like this?

Having watched far too many games whose defining feature is dozens of passes between the goalkeeper and his defenders before any progress is finally attempted to get up the field, I am getting royally bored with this chin stroking style.

It was great when Barcelona did it in their hey day, but that was because you had Xavi, Iniesta and Messi who would then do something beautiful and creative up front. This tiresome overplaying is fast becoming obsolete, even if some coaches and indeed their army of advisors who are over-coaching creatives, haven't figured it out yet.

This fascinating, fast-paced match was more open than some coaches could countenance and it is just to underline, it isn't old school "long-ball" football. This was part of a reaction to an ever-more moribund style that values possession stats, passing stats and any stats over and above the real reason that football exists and is loved by all us, entertainment.

Well at least I hope this is the case.

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Image source, Getty Images

BBC Chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your questions on all things Premier League.

Jim asked: Hi Phil, always enjoy reading your articles on BBC Sport. With all the fuss about the bad game Trent Alexander-Arnold had, is it being overlooked a little that on the other flank, Andy Robertson has really dropped off in recent months? Is it time for Liverpool to splash out on a new left back and if so, who?

Phil answered: I do think we need to be careful not to go into a knee-jerk about Trent Alexander-Arnold's poor game on Sunday but there is no doubt the timing was not great after Real Madrid officially declared their interest.

He was so far off the pace and careless, and was clearly exploited by Manchester United, who launched 54% of their attacks down his right flank. His stray pass led to Lisandro Martinez's first goal for United and Amad Diallo's equaliser also came down his flank.

Unfortunately for him and Liverpool, this will become an issue and a talking point as long as his future remains unclear.

He can put it right quickly with good performances, but for the first time yesterday, I heard the noises of frustration from Liverpool fans towards him - not a huge number but enough to make themselves heard.

Liverpool do not need this to escalate when they have such a great chance of making this a wonderful season under Arne Slot.

Meanwhile, I agree about Andy Robertson. He has not been at his best this season and, while still a fine full-back, Liverpool will soon have to start looking to the future.

Wolves and Bournemouth fans won't like this, but Rayan Ait-Nouri and Milos Kerkez are two players I can see them looking at. Sorry Wolves and Cherries.

Image source, Getty Images

It was "obvious" Trent Alexander-Arnold was "not in the right frame of mind" against Manchester United, says former Liverpool striker John Aldridge.

Reds right-back Alexander-Arnold struggled to cope in the 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday.

The 26-year-old was subject to strong criticism from pundits and supporters for his performance, with many questioning if he had been distracted by talk over his future and a reported offer from Real Madrid.

"You ask every player who has played football and you get certain days that your head's not right," Aldridge told BBC World Service's Sport Today programme.

"I've been there. I've played in games, especially early on in my career, when I think 'please bring me off, I don't know what's wrong with me, it's like I've got my boots on the wrong way around'.

"I think the hype around Trent [Alexander-Arnold] the last week, since 1 January in particular with Real Madrid and so forth, it's going to affect him, absolutely.

"You've got to give Manchester United credit for the way they went about it. They overloaded him with the two best players - Bruno Fernandes and [Diogo] Dalot.

"They hardly went down our left-hand side, they capitalised on it and put a lot of pressure on Trent. It's hard for anyone to deal with it, especially when you're not in the right frame of mind as Trent wasn't, that was obvious.

"It is only human. It [transfer rumours] is naturally going to affect him, and it did, it took its toll on the lad. People talking about [how] he can't defend - of course he can defend. He might not be the best defender in the league, but he can defend. When you have a bad day, you have a bad day."

Liverpool are plotting a move for Feyenoord's Algeria winger Anis Hadj-Moussa, 22. (Football Insider), external

Real Madrid have rejected the chance to sign Netherlands defender Virgil van Dijk, who will be a free agent when his Liverpool contract expires in the summer, after being approached by the 33-year-old's management. (Relevo - in Spanish), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

"Wasn't his best game" and "schoolboy stuff".

After Sunday's game against Manchester United, Liverpool boss Arne Slot admitted right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold was not at his best, while former midfielder turned pundit Roy Keane lamented the defender's display.

But was Alexander-Arnold's performance really that bad?

It depends where you look.

After reports surfaced during the week that Real Madrid had approached Liverpool about the 26-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of the season, there was always going to be more focus on him during this game.

With nearly 55% of United's attack coming down Liverpool's right according to Opta, it was clear Ruben Amorim's side were targeting any potential vulnerability - and the creativity of Bruno Fernandes and of Diogo Dalot took full advantage.

But this is not the first time Alexander-Arnold's defensive capabilities have been questioned and, even this season, he has statistically had worse games.

Against the Red Devils, the England international lost possession 27 times - the second-most of a Liverpool player in the Premier League this season, but still fewer times than he gave the ball away in their defeat by Nottingham Forest (33) earlier this season.

What would be concerning for Reds' fans, however, is the regularity in which he loses high amounts of possession during matches, with the right-back appearing seven times in the top 10 for possession lost in games by Liverpool players this campaign.

Alexander-Arnold was surprisingly only dribbled past twice by opponents on Sunday, a figure that has been topped by himself on six other occasions so far this term.

But, with no tackles recorded and all five of his duels lost, his willingness and ability to get stuck into the opposition in such an intense derby game for Reds' fans will have frustrated supporters.

Despite this, Alexander-Arnold won possession more times (eight), had more touches (97), made more interceptions (four) and equal the amount of passes (63) as any Liverpool player in the match.

And, as shown in their heatmaps, the defender covered more of the pitch than fellow full-back Andy Robertson - although the amount of play coming down the right side from United will have had an impact.

With transfer silly season only just beginning and the games only going to get tougher, the scrutiny around Alexander-Arnold looks set to intensify.

Image source, Opta

Jordan Chamberlain
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

I can forgive Trent Alexander-Arnold misplaced passes, the occasional poor touch or a bad decision. This happens to footballers.

What is simply unacceptable, however, is the manner in which he 'defended' against Manchester United on Sunday. Trent looked like he was completely uninterested in tracking Lisandro Martinez for their opener, made worse by the fact he had just passed United the ball in the first place.

He won zero duels in 86 minutes. Conor Bradley came on and won one in his first minute.

Trent is a sensational footballer - the most talented and creative right-back I have ever seen. But on Sunday he looked every bit a player who had been extremely affected by the consistent Real Madrid speculation. His head was not in the game. Trent has been world-class this term under Arne Slot, but this was horrific.

Reports suggest Liverpool have offered Trent big money, but the Real Madrid friendly publications think Alexander-Arnold already has one foot in Spain. Sadly, the performance against United hinted at the latter.

Even more worryingly, a small number of fans inside the ground let Trent know what they thought of his effort, which has never happened before.

He needs to get his head right if he is to play in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final at Tottenham on Wednesday, but the important fixtures are against Nottingham Forest and Brentford in the Premier League.

Whether Trent is staying or going, there is still a title to be won.

Find more from Jordan Chamberlain at Empire of the Kop, external

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold "looked like his head could have been elsewhere" against Manchester United, says former Brighton striker Glenn Murray.

The England international struggled to deal with United wing-back Diogo Dalot for the majority of the game and left the Reds exposed down their right flank.

Was it just a bad day at the office? Or is it reflective of his contract situation and the rumours of a move to Real Madrid?

"It would be fair to say defending has never been his strong point," said Murray on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "But what he can give Liverpool going forward is better than going the other way.

"A stat popped up during the game and it said 60% of Manchester United's attacks had come down his side.

"We are in January, he is a free agent and clubs are allowed to contact him. Who knows what has arrived in the inbox.

"It is really difficult because I am sure he is trying to do his best, as we would also all expect, but when your future is uncertain it can have a negative effect on the way you play.

"It did look like his head could have been elsewhere.

"We don't know what is going on behind closed doors but Liverpool will want to get this resolved as soon as possible."

Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

It was "two points dropped" for Liverpool against Manchester United, but upcoming away games will be the "defining moment" of their season, says The Anfield Wrap's Neil Atkinson.

Given the form of both sides, many fans and pundits were expecting a rout for the Reds against rivals United at Anfield on Sunday.

However, Ruben Amorim's team put in arguably their best performance of the season to come away with a 2-2 draw.

The result means Liverpool remain top of the Premier League table, clear of Arsenal by six points and with a game in hand.

"Manchester United is still a difficult game. The manager is not an idiot and the football players have got a lot of professional pride," Atkinson told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast.

"It is two points dropped from a Liverpool perspective with it being a home game against a side who are mid-table - and also the fact they were 2-1 up. That is why it sticks in the craw a little bit.

"Off the back of it, we can praise Manchester United, we can praise their manager, we can praise their players - but Liverpool should still be winning that game.

"If you had offered me on Friday that we just match Arsenal's result, I would have taken that. It is a weekend where nothing has changed in the title race, so from Liverpool's point of view they can take some solace in that.

"Liverpool have got three difficult away games on the horizon. They go to Nottingham Forest, Brentford and Bournemouth. If Liverpool win those three games it will be difficult to see any rivals getting the other side of them as the season goes from there.

"The three away games are the defining moment in Liverpool's season now."

Listen back on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Are Liverpool as dominant as their points tally suggests, or are they just benefiting from a Premier League that is weaker than last season?

The Reds, who have had to come from behind in four of their past six league matches, have 46 points from 19 games.

"They have benefited from the demise of Manchester City and from Arsenal not bringing the heat," said former Premier League striker Glenn Murray on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"Jurgen Klopp left a really good squad at Liverpool for Arne Slot to take over and they have got better. I don't think anyone expected him to take over the reins and have the lead they have, but he has brought an air of control to their play.

"They are a little bit slower in their build-up but they are getting better. Ryan Gravenberch has emerged and he looks a lot better than last year. Cody Gakpo too.

"Slot has also found the right balance between Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz, so I do think Slot has made them better but they are benefiting from the demise of teams around them."

Listen to the Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace are interested in Liverpool forward Ben Doak, who is on loan at Middlesbrough in the Championship as they look for January reinforcements.

The Eagles are looking to add a left wing-back and an attacker to their squad to increase the options manager Oliver Glasner has for the second half of the season.

Doak has two goals and six assists in 21 appearances for Middlesbrough so far this season.

Liverpool have had offers for Doak with clubs in the Premier League and across Europe showing interest in the Scotland winger. Palace have had a £15m bid rejected, according to reports.

However, the bids so far for 19-year-old do not come close to what the Reds are looking for, with the Anfield club valuing him at about £30m.

Doak has helped Boro to fifth place in the Championship and are happy with how his stint at the Riverside club is going. They believe he has the quality to return and play for them in the future.

The Eagles have also been linked with Jobe Bellingham of Sunderland and RC Lens midfielder Andy Diouf, but one source has said a move for either midfielder is unlikely this month.

Elsewhere, Chelsea do have a recall option on Trevoh Chalobah, who is on loan at Selhurst Park but Glasner is "planning" for him to stay.

"Trevoh is doing very well for us and we are planning with him," the Austrian said after Saturday's 1-1 draw between the clubs.

Image source, Getty Images

Goalkeeper Marcelo Pitaluga has joined Fluminense on a permanent deal.

Pitaluga, who signed for Liverpool in 2020, was named in the senior matchday squad on seven occasions but did not make a first-team appearance.

He completed loan spells at Macclesfield, St Patrick's Athletic and Livingston during his time with the Reds, but will now return to his home club in Brazil's top flight.

Image source, Getty Images

Trent Alexander-Arnold's Liverpool future - along with Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk - has provided a permanent subplot to Liverpool's stellar first season under head coach Arne Slot.

All has been serene as Liverpool have dominated in the Premier League, contract negotiations a major talking point but not a distraction to winning games until Sunday's 2-2 draw with Manchester United at Anfield.

Even before kick-off, a new banner appeared on the Kop reading "Give Mo And Co Their Dough", with Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk's images emblazoned alongside Salah.

And yet, in the past few days, the first signs of frustration with Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool supporters have appeared as it emerged Real Madrid have made an official bid to take the 26-year-old in January.

Bad timing, perhaps, but this was followed by Alexander-Arnold delivering a nightmare performance as Liverpool were held to a deserved 2-2 draw by previously struggling United.

Alexander-Arnold's display was too casual throughout, a stray pass the catalyst for Lisandro Martinez's opener for United, with coach Ruben Amorim also clearly devising a strategy to target Alexander-Arnold on the right flank, where the majority of their attacks came.

Alexander-Arnold sloppily played Rasmus Hojlund onside for a first-half chance that was rescued by Alisson's save, while Amad Diallo's equaliser came after Alejandro Garnacho exploited more space on the right flank.

It may have been an optical illusion, but Alexander-Arnold looked distracted and lacklustre throughout, a glaring weakness defensively and shorn of his usual attacking threat.

Slot jumped to Alexander-Arnold's defence, but this was still one of the defender's poorest performances in recent memory, all under the gaze of new head coach Thomas Tuchel.

And, for the first time, there were the noises of frustration and discontent from Liverpool fans inside Anfield aimed at the local boy they call "the scouser in our team" - not helped by United defying the odds to take an unexpected point.

There should be no knee-jerking over one bad display among many top-class this season, but the timing - coming at the start of January and after Real stepped up their interest - could not have been worse for Alexander-Arnold.

He has plenty of time to apply the correction, but any more displays like this and frustration will rise, along with the speculation that his head is being turned as Real lurk in the shadows with their interest now out in the open.

Liverpool do not need any untimely backdrops with their season going so well - and that will be helped by Alexander-Arnold returning to his best as quickly as possible.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Liverpool and Manchester United.

Here are some of your comments:

Alison: I never blame one player, but this game I do. Trent Alexander-Arnold cost us the game. The other defenders were in disarray because of him.

Si: So disappointed by Trent. His head was not in the game. He is a local lad, and he has been a great player, but his heart isn't in it. Maybe he should leave. I'm still wondering why Darwin Nunez is still getting a chance? He has no natural goalscoring ability.

Richard: Trent has got to put this contract saga to bed - and soon. Some people might say that his head was on the plane to Madrid here, but I personally think he will stay. But sign ASAP please, Trent!

Ishtaq: Trent, you can go. One Hollywood pass every three games does not get you £300,000 a week. Conor Bradley was better in the few minutes he came on for.

Gareth: Overall a poor performance and way off our usual standards so, with that being said, it is a good point. A lot of the players just weren't at the races. Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo were probably the only three who played anywhere near their usual levels. But after the emotion of the game has settled, this result, while not what we wanted, isn't that bad.

Shay: The result was a fair reflection of the game. Liverpool were poor and United were dogged. My worry is that Liverpool are over reliant on Mohamed Salah for creativity and someone in midfield needs to step up. They also keep conceding first, meaning that we need to sap energy for comebacks. This happened last season as well and we saw how that ended. A penny for Arne Slot's thoughts. Nottingham Forest away next - this could be the blip in form that Arsenal needed.

Jamie: Liverpool were well below their recent standards. We missed Dominik Szoboszlai's pressing and work-rate. Mac Allister was the only real standout performer in the first half. We got better once we equalised, but we still looked shaky and our passing was off and nervy.

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool and Manchester United's thrilling 2-2 draw at Anfield was "a real throwback meeting between the two sides", says former Premier League striker Clinton Morrison.

"Everyone thought Liverpool would batter United and they didn't, so full credit to United," he said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"I would imagine that United fans were hoping for the snow to not clear at the beginning of the day but finished it being very happy.

"They were fantastic. They defended well and it was a proper Ruben Amorim performance that we had come to see at Sporting."

Former Brighton forward Glenn Murray added: "I haven't seen or enjoyed a game of football like that for ages. Both teams were going hammer and tongs at one another, so it was a really special game.

"It felt like United were rolling back the years and Liverpool are showing they can continue to find a way this season."

Listen to the Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds

Liverpool are open to accepting an offer of £50-60m for striker Darwin Nunez. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Highlights and analysis from Sunday's two Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.

Listen back to the weekend's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Crystal Palace 1-1 Chelsea

• Brighton 1-1 Arsenal

• Fulham 2-2 Ipswich

• Liverpool 2-2 Man Utd