Liverpools home clash against Arsenal this weekend had been circled as a potential title decider earlier in the season, but after Arne Slots men surged into an unassailable lead at the top of the table last month, it meant new subplots came to the fore on Sunday.
The top two played out an entertaining 2-2 draw, with the Gunners coming from two goals down to earn a point against the new champions, but the spotlight was on outgoing Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who confirmed last week that he would be leaving the club at the end of the season when he contract expires.
The England international - who FourFourTwo ranked as the no.1 right-back in the world earlier this year - is expected to join Real Madrid, but his decision to end his 20-year association with Liverpool and leave on a free transfer has not gone down well with sections of the Anfield faithful, who booed him when he came off the bench on 67 minutes. Former Reds defender and Sky Sports pundit, Jamie Carragher, had plenty to say about the matter on Super Sunday following the match.
"I was SHOCKED... don't boo your own player!" | Carragher on Alexander-Arnold's Anfield reception - YouTube
Everything Jamie Carragher said on Trent Alexander-Arnold's Liverpool boos
Arne Slot doesn't have to get results right now, the title's won, Carragher began. What I would say is, I think a little bit like me, I think the manager would have been a little bit shocked by how vociferous it was.
I think you can expect frustration, a little bit of disappointment. I think the best thing Liverpool supporters can do if Trent Alexander-Arnold does play another game for Liverpool, because I still think that's up in the air, that might be his last performance, and that might actually be the right thing because Liverpool don't need a circus between now and the end of the season.
You know, because this is the big story of the game now. But if you're frustrated with Trent, sing Conor Bradley's name, sing Steven Gerrard's name, as was just mentioned in the interview dont berate a player, because it just leaves you open to criticism from everybody up and down the land about Liverpool supporters when you're actually seeing the scenes here two weeks ago: youve probably never seen scenes anywhere in the country like that from when a team win the the title.
That's what Liverpool supporters, in my mind, are about. That wasn't representative of them, and I don't like to think of them as like that, but it was a fact, it happened tonight.
So I think if Trent does continue to play, and that's also something the manager's got to think about because he doesn't need this circus or this talk about Trent, he's moving on, he's left the football cub. Yes, of course he does [deserve one last game]. He doesn't need to come on the pitch, he hasn't come on the pitch at the end of the game. He doesn't he doesn't need to be brought on. He you know, and I've said before, it's not about a send-off or nothing like that.
I mean, he's choosing to leave, you know what I mean? I'm not I don't agree with that today, but I don't think there should be a thing where he's, you know, given this big thing at the end of the season, or he's given a microphone to give a big speech in front of the crowd.
Trent Alexander-Arnold received "a few boos" when he was subbed on for Conor Bradley pic.twitter.com/aQfWodxoV4May 11, 2025
He's choosing to leave the football club, and that's why the frustration's there. That for me was a step too far, singing the players' names, don't boo a player who's wearing the Liverpool shirt. That is it all for me about him being a local player.
What you've got to remember is Liverpool as a city sees themselves, and not just Liverpool football, Liverpool as a city as almost us against the world, or us against the rest of the country. And the Liverpool supporters think that playing for Liverpool is the utmost. And when you're a local player, like Trent is, like I was, you can't see yourself as bigger than the club. Youve almost got to not sacrifice yourself at the club. You're playing for Liverpool, it's a great honor, but you can never be seen to be almost bigger than the club or better than the club. And I always felt when I was playing, and I was I wanted to be a one-club man, I was determined to be that.
But I always think, how do you leave Liverpool? So you can either leave by going to someone you think is better. Liverpool supporters are not going to be happy about that because again, it's like, this is our utmost, this is our ultimate, nothing is better than Liverpool.
And also, once I was going to stay, it was, how do I leave? How long do I stay? Now, I was offered a contract, an extra year at Liverpool, and I turned it down. And the reason I turned it down was because I was a local player playing for Liverpool, because I didn't want to anger or upset the supporters because I didn't think I was good enough to play for Liverpool every week or 25-30 games a season in that last season.
And then I just did, I've got to get out. I don't want Liverpool supporters going to the game and turning up and thinking Jamie Carragher's playing, and thinking, I just I couldn't do that. Now, if I was playing for somewhere else, if I was playing for Aston Villa, if I was playing for Tottenham or Newcastle, another club in the Premier League, I'd have signed another year because I'd have done that for myself. I'd have been thinking about myself. So I think when you are a local player, it was always in my mind that it's almost 50 per cent of what you want and 50 per cent of the club. You never feel as if it's all about you.
Now, the frustration with with Trent is the fact that he's a local player and he's made a decision for himself, which is fine. That's what 90 per cent of footballers do throughout their career. But when you're a local player at Liverpool, that is not going to go down well. And what you come back to is when I go back to this interview with Trent, when he he was asked on Sky Sports, I think by Harriet [Prior], that would you rather win the Champions League or the Ballon d'Or?
When he said the Ballon d'Or, that is even if he thinks that, that is not the right answer if you're a local player at Liverpool. I think that showed Liverpool supporters, this isn't a local player who thinks about the club more than himself. It's like he he's a brand, he's a unique footballer, he's fantastic. The fact Real Madrid want him shows you they are the biggest club in the world. You know what I mean? He's an amazing footballer.
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