Jamie Carragher explains why Liverpool fans booed Trent Alexander

Jamie Carragher has succinctly explained why Liverpool supporters booed Trent Alexander-Arnold on his return to Anfield.

Alexander-Arnold was never going to get a positive reception with Real Madrid on Tuesday, even though neutrals who don’t understand the situation suggested otherwise.

The 27-year-old was booed before the game, and when he was introduced late in the second half, and failed to make an impact in Madrid’s 1-0 defeat to Liverpool.

Speaking on CBS Sports, Carragher defended those who booed Alexander-Arnold, perfectly explaining why so many feel negatively about him.

“The supporters decide what type of reception he gets and the reason why the reception will be poor tonight, which I would expect, is because Trent throughout those 20 years has played the position of, ‘I’m a supporter on the pitch'”, Carragher said.

“So them supporters who are all in this stadium wouldn’t leave on a free transfer to go play for Real Madrid. Okay, it’s his career, he gets one career, he’s a young man, he’s been brilliantly successful at the club.

“But what he’s said since he’s got in the team, if that were to be true, and Liverpool is the only team for him, and he wants to be their captain, he wants to be a legend here, you don’t leave when you’ve just won the league title and you’ve got the opportunity to go win more trophies with your club.

“And then you join a club who’s beaten you twice in a Champions League final and they’re the club you want to compete for to maybe win more Champions League finals.

“So, I totally understand the reaction of the supporters, and a lot of it is because they feel like they have been hoodwinked a little bit by Trent throughout the process of him being at the club.”

Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham naively spoke to CBS Sports about the reception Alexander-Arnold got, saying it was merely to give Liverpool an edge on the night.

“It’s one of those things in football, I think the fans booing isn’t a reflection of how they feel about him,” Bellingham said.

“I think [it’s] more trying to give their team the edge and try and maybe throw him off a little bit.

“I’m sure they’re appreciative of what he did for the club, and obviously, he loves the club a lot, I know that from just speaking with him, really.

“So yeah, it’s one of those things that can happen in football.”

Alexander-Arnold can have no complaints about the boos, and likely doesn’t in fairness, with the manner of his exit the reason for it.

As Carragher alludes to, he spoke down the years about wanting to be a Liverpool legend and spend his entire career at Anfield, only to leave for Madrid midway through it.

Not only that, but he also allowed his contract to tick down and exit on a free transfer, depriving the Reds of receiving a huge fee for him.

Some clapped Alexander-Arnold, which they are more than within their right to – he was a great servant to Liverpool and a wonderful player – but the booing was fully justified.

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