Trent Alexander-Arnold: Gary Neville ‘taking the p***’ with stance over Liverpool exit

Robin Bairner
Robin Bairner
  • 27 Mar 2025 12:50 GMT
  • 4 min read
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool, 2024/25
© IMAGO

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s decision to join Real Madrid from Liverpool has struck a nerve with fans of the Anfield club, yet the attitude of the media towards the deal has drawn equal frustration from Reds supporters.

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Liverpool fans believe that there is a good deal of hypocrisy on show over Alexander-Arnold, who will hook up with Los Blancos as a free agent when his contract expires at the end of the season.

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Trent Alexander-Arnold

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Trent Alexander-Arnold
Trent Alexander-Arnold

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In particular, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, a former Manchester United player, finds himself in the crosshairs of the Anfield club’s support.

One popular account of a Liverpool fan on X says: “Gary Neville, who has very publicly and consistently criticised Trent for the past five years, just sat on the latest Stick to Football and philosophically pondered whether Trent might be leaving because he feels underappreciated in this country. He's got to be taking the p***.”

But it’s not just Neville under fire. His former Man Utd colleague Roy Keane has also been slammed.

“Roy Keane now also conveniently believes that Trent is a Real Madrid calibre player, having 2 months ago said that he should be playing for Tranmere Rovers,” the same account points out.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is perceived to have been criticised excessively in the UK media
© IMAGO - Trent Alexander-Arnold is perceived to have been criticised excessively in the UK media

Neville accuses Liverpool of ‘unforgivable’ Trent mistake

Gary Neville claimed that Liverpool were negligent over the situation of Alexander-Arnold, claiming that they should have been far more proactive to secure the future of the 26-year-old full-back.

“With Trent, it’s unforgivable. Whether you’re going through a turbulence in the boardroom or not, if you’re the owner of the club and you look at Trent two years ago, even if you have disruption in your sporting department, you look at him and think, ‘We’ve got to sign him up, he’s one of our own,’” he said.

Keane, meanwhile, issued a scathing assessment of Alexander-Arnold after Liverpool drew 2-2 with Manchester United in January.

"We talk about how brilliant Trent is going forward, but Trent's defending today, my goodness, it's like schoolboy stuff," Keane told Sky Sports.

"They talk about him going to Real Madrid, the way he's defending, he's going to Tranmere Rovers after this, he's got to do better."