Manchester United and Liverpool clashed in a thrilling Premier League match, culminating in a 2-2 draw. The result sees Liverpool maintaining a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table, with a game in hand. The spotlight, however, was on Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose performance came under scrutiny amidst rumors linking him to a potential move to Real Madrid.
Alexander-Arnold faced a challenging task as he lined up against Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot, both prominent starters for Portugal. The two goals scored by United came from Alexander-Arnold's flank, raising questions about his defensive stability. Despite this, Liverpool manager Arne Slot believes the speculation around Alexander-Arnold's future did not influence his performance.
"I think nine out of 10 people will tell you that it affected him, but I'm one of the 10 that tells you I don't think that affected him."
Slot emphasized the caliber of Manchester United's players as the primary factor in Alexander-Arnold's struggles during the match.
"What I think affected him was that he had to play Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot who are two starters for Portugal, great, great players."
Although Alexander-Arnold is out of contract at the end of the season, and with Real Madrid expressing interest—particularly due to Dani Carvajal's injury—Slot remains confident in Alexander-Arnold's commitment to Liverpool. He acknowledged the tough moments faced by Alexander-Arnold during the match but stated that such challenges are not new for the talented right-back.
"It was clear Trent had some difficult moments as we as a team had but that is also for Trent not the first time."
The match itself proved difficult for Liverpool, as Manchester United showcased their quality. Diogo Jota, despite not being part of the Portuguese national team setup, played a significant role for United, proving to be a formidable opponent. Liverpool's strategy needed to adapt to United's strength, making it an intense encounter.
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