Liverpool’s skipper Virgil van Dijk acknowledged that hearing boos directed at Trent Alexander-Arnold would be challenging, but stressed that the departing defender must “handle it” – similar to how he and his fellow players did during Sunday’s match.
Alexander-Arnold faced a hostile reception in his first game since announcing he would leave at the season’s end, with significant segments of the Anfield crowd booing him throughout the 2-2 tie with Arsenal.
Reds manager Arne Slot defended the fans’ reactions by stating that “everyone is entitled to their own opinion”, while teammate Andy Robertson expressed that it was unpleasant to see Alexander-Arnold being targeted. Van Dijk agreed with Slot, asserting: “The manager put it well in the press briefing – we can’t dictate people’s feelings about the choices he made for his life and family.”
“The reaction happened. He has to deal with it. We as a team have to deal with that as well, by the way,” Van Dijk pointed out. “But I think maybe he expected this. We have two more games and then we part ways and he will go somewhere else.”
Alexander-Arnold is widely expected to join Real Madrid at an undefined point this summer. For all his tough love, Van Dijk acknowledged the difficulty faced by his departing teammate.
“I wasn’t really expecting anything,” the Dutch skipper conceded. “It’s not easy, not at all. We’re here for him. We are gutted that he’s not here with us next year because he’s a fantastic player in my opinion, with outstanding, exceptional qualities that we have all been seeing over the last seven years I’ve been here. We’re definitely going to miss him when he’s gone.
“It shouldn’t [overshadow the title celebrations]. There are a lot more players that also deserve an amazing day. I don’t think it will.
“He made the decision for himself and he’s at peace with it. We have two more games that he will have to play a part in as well. I’m sure he will because he’s a fantastic player and then we’ll say goodbye to him.”
Slot started Conor Bradley against Arsenal in a bid to build up his experience before he assumes the role of Alexander-Arnold’s full-time successor next season. The Northern Ireland international is not quite fit or robust enough to last the full 90 minutes, but Slot insisted that he will not hesitate in calling upon Alexander-Arnold again in the coming weeks.
