1 day Ago By [email protected] (Chris McKenna)
Virgil van Dijk dismissed suggestions that the noise around Trent Alexander-Arnold will have played a part in his performance against Manchester United . Alexander-Arnold, 26, was at fault for United’s opening goal and put in a shambolic display in the 2-2 draw against Liverpool’s bitter rivals . The right-back gave the ball away 25 times during the game and failed to win a single duel before he was subbed late on for Conor Bradley.
The display came after a week of speculation around his future following an approach from Real Madrid to sign him this month. The defender is out of contract at the end of the season and like Van Dijk and Mo Salah , he has yet to agree a new deal. But Alexander-Arnold’s captain Van Dijk quickly rebuffed any notion that the display was down to the speculation with a one-word answer.
When asked if believed the noise around Alexander-Arnold played a part, he said: “No.” Van Dijk was then questioned on whether or not the doubts about the futures of three players is something that would be playing on his mind. He added: “I am fine with it.
Trent has his own people around him, his family and we are there as well. He wants to perform in the best way possible like we all do. That is the main focus.
In my opinion, maybe ask him, that is the distraction...
the game.” Van Dijk was not panicking about the two points dropped against a United side, who came into the game on the back of four straight defeats. The draw kept the Reds six points clear of Premier League title rivals Arsenal , with The Dutchman found it bizarre that Ruben Amorim’s side had been written off beforehand.
He said: “We are playing against a good opponent. I think everyone from the outside world forgets that by the sound that had been going around before the game. They have good players.
They are obviously a work in progress like we are but they made it difficult for us. “We have been there last year too, and drew 0-0 I think. It is always a special one (this fixture) and this is no different.
We could and should have done better in having the ball, keeping it longer. We showed good things as well, resilience again after going 1-0 down. So it was good things and less good things.
We have to get up.” But what Van Dijk was bemused by was a suggestion in the pre-match press conference that Liverpool were so comfortably favourites to win that boss Arne Slot may rest players. He added: “I heard in the press conference someone asked if we were going to rotate players against United.
I was shocked. It is one of the biggest games of the season and United will always make it tough. To hear that, I was surprised.
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