Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold was mocked by Roy Keane during the Reds’ Premier League showdown with Manchester United on Sunday. The England right-back was called out for his defensive frailties at half time, despite the fact Liverpool hadn’t conceded in the opening period.
Alexander-Arnold has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid in recent weeks, with his contract at Anfield set to expire in the summer.
But Keane insisted the 26-year-old would be sold to League Two club Tranmere Rovers instead.
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"Chances for United [come from] a couple of balls over the top," Keane told Sky Sports. "We talk about how brilliant Trent is going forward, but Trent's defending today - my goodness, it's like schoolboy stuff.
"There's talk about him going to Real Madrid. The way he's defending he's going to Tranmere Rovers after this - he's got to do better."
Alexander-Arnold has become one of Liverpool’s most important players since breaking into the Reds team during the 2017/18 campaign.
He has bagged 20 goals and 80 assists in 334 appearances for the Merseyside giants and has helped his team win a host of trophies, including the Champions League, the Premier League and the Club World Cup.
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But after an underwhelming first half display against United, the blockbuster star was at fault for the opening goal of the game in the early stages of the second period as he gave away possession when trying to play the ball forward to Mohamed Salah.
The defender then failed to recover from his error as he allowed Red Devils attacker Bruno Fernandes to cut inside him and pick out Lisandro Martinez in the box, with the Argentine thumping the ball past Alisson into the roof of the net.
United’s lead only lasted seven minutes, with Cody Gakpo drawing his team level just before the hour mark after being teed up by Alexis Mac Allister.
Liverpool netted for a second time with 20 minutes remaining as Salah struck from the penalty spot, with Amad Diallo popping up with an equaliser for the away side 10 minutes later.
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Real Madrid are working hard to thrash out a deal to sign Alexander-Arnold and tabled a £20million bid for the star last week in an attempt to prise him away from England during the January transfer window.
The Reds ultimately turned down the offer, with Liverpool boss Arne Slot conceding that he was forced to hold a meeting with the player ahead of this weekend’s showdown with United.
“I speak to every player and for Trent it is the same, so I have spoken to him, yeah,” admitted the Dutchman. “Do you really think I'll tell you what I said? I understand you ask but you know the answer - these conversations, I've never shared.
“It's just the same, I talk to them (the players) about things. It was a conversation as many others we had, me and Trent and let's leave it to that. If it did [prove a distraction] at this club, then we would really have a problem.”
