How Anfield’s Alexander-Arnold toxicity came to a head

The Anfield crowd’s influence is well known in the game; on numerous occasions have Liverpool’s supporters roared to famed victories.

During Sunday’s 2-2 draw with arch-rivals Manchester United, though, a subdued atmosphere was punctuated by howls of derision aimed at one of the club’s own players.

The sub-par performance of vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold – whose future is in doubt with his contract up in June, and Real Madrid circling – was consistently met with groans, abusive name-calling and expletive-laden shouts that he should leave as soon as possible.

This wasn’t the entirety of the home support, but from the point he miscued a pass early in the game, Alexander-Arnold had a significant proportion of the crowd on his back.

Head coach Arne Slot once remonstrated with the crowd about how the right-back was handled during the second half.

Gareth Roberts, host of the Liverpool fan podcast Late Challenge and a Kop season-ticket holder, told the BBC: “Everything about it was weird. Around me, there were a few boos. Doesn’t it go against being a supporter, doesn’t it? It’s gone toxic from a proportion of the fanbase”.

Alexander-Arnold has been a key part of Liverpool’s strong run so far this season, producing high-quality passing and playmaking in attack, while being much improved defensively. A generally excellent campaign has been ruined by occasional worse performances.

Fans have been concerned that a six-year veteran who joined the Reds’ academy was preparing to leave. With the situation still unresolved, the relationship between fans and player has become more tense, strained and angry.

Alexander-Arnold irritated some Reds supporters in October by saying in an interview with Sky Sports that he prefers to win a Ballon d’Or, the most prestigious individual award in sport, than another Champions League with his boyhood team. Some fans have since come to believe that he is more focused on his own accomplishments.

The key to that seems to be Alexander-Arnold’s birth and education in Liverpool. Fans of all clubs frequently hold the view that “one of our own” owes them more respect and that they have a greater right to control the professional development of local players.

Roberts added: “People think: ‘ You’ve grown up as a scouser, a Liverpool fan, you’ve lived our dream, and therefore how could you possibly consider going anywhere else? ‘ But I think yes, he was a fan once, and now he’s a professional sportsman. We’ve got to appreciate that fact, and I don’t think people do. We simply see it from a different perspective, believing that we would never leave.

You have the right to claim that you fancy something else because you only have 20 years to play in the same club. It’s all a bit mad.

“When it’s the other way around, when a club just says ‘ see you ‘ to a player, we don’t really think about that much, do we”?

Speaking on Sky Sports, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said: “I have constantly defended him]Alexander-Arnold]. There shouldn’t be any criticism for the young man leaving for nothing if he does so.

” My only problem with Trent, if he leaves… it’s not anger or upset with him, it’s disappointment… My only disappointment is Trent is a local lad, Liverpool fan. He could become the captain in two or three years and the man who won these league titles, along with Manchester United, in terms of titles won and European Cup victories.

Alexander-Arnold’s situation has been compared with the departures of Steve McManaman in 1999 and Michael Owen in 2004. Both left when Liverpool was not one of Europe’s top clubs and made the decision to leave with Real Madrid.

McManaman and Owen returned to England with Newcastle after one trophyless season, contributing to two Champions League victories for the Spanish giants.

After winning the Champions League in 2005, Steven Gerrard was close to leaving Liverpool for Chelsea, but he made the difficult decision to stay at Anfield. Prior to his ten years with the LA Galaxy, Gerrard won two EFL and FA Cup victories.

Liverpool’s management of the contract renewals of their three star players has drawn criticism.

The Reds have undergone a lot of change in the past few years despite being one of Europe’s most effectively run clubs.

Since 2021, Liverpool have employed four different sporting directors. Owners Fenway Sports Group made it clear they were ready to sell the club at the time, eventually deciding to sell a minority stake in favor. And Jurgen Klopp unavoidably announced his departure from the team at the end of the season in January.

Many neutral fans and, equally, many Liverpool fans, believe that because Alexander-Arnold has won everything with his boyhood club, it is entirely rational if he wants to experience something new elsewhere.

“It doesn’t make sense to bring that to the ground”, Roberts added. The collective objective is to win the league, they say. We all want that. It’s crazy to get on the back of our own player. Anyone who is pulling on the red shirt, you support them”.

Football fans have always been more interested in being emotional than in being rational, even though it may be the wisest thing to park their grievances during games.

With that in mind, the longer that Alexander-Arnold’s future remains unresolved, the more audible some supporters may become.