Arne Slot has asked Liverpool fans not to boo the outgoing Trent Alexander-Arnold in the remainder of the season as he hailed Conor Bradley.
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Slot urged fans not to boo TrentCompared Bradley to one of world's best right-backsTrent to be dropped from starting line-up against ArsenalFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?
Slot has already confirmed that Alexander-Arnold will be dropped from the Reds' starting line-up that will face Arsenal in the penultimate match of their title-winning campaign on Sunday at Anfield, with Bradley given the nod in the right full-back position. The Dutch coach took the decision following the England's international's formal announcement that he will leave the club at the end of the 2024-25 season.
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Despite removing Alexander-Arnold from his XI, Slot urged the Reds not to boo the defender as he told reporters: "We are all disappointed but Trent is the first one who said he would prefer us as a team and a club not to be distracted too much by this announcement. I am hoping all the energy on Sunday goes to the players and [as little] as possible to Trent – unless it is positive, then they can do whatever they want.
"As a human being, you can maybe understand that he [Alexander-Arnold] wants a new challenge because, if he is so many years in the same league, some players then want to experience something else. It’s up to every individual himself. I’m the type of human being who can understand a lot of arguments. That’s not to say I would make the same choice. It was a really difficult decision for him."
AFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The Dutch coach also spoke highly of Bradley and compared him to one of the best right-backs in the world, Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi, as he added: "They all run a lot, but Conor is in his own league. Comparable maybe with [Achraf] Hakimi at PSG. He is everywhere during the game as well. But Hakimi is 26. He is much more used to doing this every single week. He needs time, Conor, and a good programme to keep him fit. To become a very good player you have to be available every week, and that is the first step he has to take next season."
WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?
After facing the Gunners at home on Sunday, the English champions will finally get their hands on the Premier League trophy at the AMEX Stadium on May 19 as they take on Brighton in the final game of the season.
