Liverpool star Alexander-Arnold is SULKING says ex-PL manager

Trent Alexander-Arnold has been CRITICISED by one former Premier League manager for his reaction to being substituted during Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Brentford on Sunday. 

Alexander-Arnold, 25, was replaced on 72 minutes by new head coach Arne Slot with reserve right back Conor Bradley being summoned in his place. 

The England man was spotted muttering to himself on the bench after being substituted, following an awkward exchange with his new boss. 

Read more: Arne Slot responds to Alexander-Arnold substitution reaction

Slot referred to the substitution in his post-match comments, insisting he would stand by his decision, and Alexander-Arnold’s behaviour has not gone unnoticed elsewhere. 

Alan Pardew, who managed West Ham, Crystal Palace and Newcastle among other teams, described Alexander-Arnold’s reaction to being substituted as being ‘a worrying sign’, particularly in light of his contract which expires at the end of the season. 

While praising Slot’s side for the strong start they have made to the Premier League season, Pardew suggested Alexander-Arnold was ‘aggrieved’ and subsequently detracted from his new boss’s first home game. 

“Let's just get some 'zeroes' against Liverpool,” Pardew told talkSPORT. 

“Draws, none, losses, none, goals against, none. So far, that's a pretty good start for the new manager. 

“I'll tell you what wasn't a good start for the new manager, Trent coming off and they had a little moment between them, where he was obviously aggrieved, he's out of contract. That would be a worrying sign for me as a manager. 

“In his first game at home, a big day for the manager, he has to deal with a player having a sulk. 

“I don't think that was particularly great.”

Liverpool 'in a hole' over Trent, Salah and Virgil

Liverpool head into the 2024/25 season with Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk all out of contract at the end of the season and no breakthrough so far over new deals. 

That is a concern in the eyes of Pardew, who believes the Reds haven’t done enough to retain the high-profile trio’s transfer value by letting their terms run down. 

“One of the things about Chelsea, their policy of not letting players run out of contract, this six/ seven year thing, is to keep the value,” he said. 

“So they're buying young and keeping the value, they did it with their American sports teams and that makes a lot of sense.

“Liverpool find themselves in a little bit of a hole with those three players because they are very, very important players.”