Roy Keane Takes Brutal Dig At Trent Alexander-Arnold After Liverpool Held To Draw By Manchester United

Manchester United legend Roy Keane has taken a savage swipe at Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold after the fullback’s horror-show against United on Sunday.

With Alexander-Arnold heavily linked to Real Madrid, Keane joked that the defender was likelier to join neighbouring League Two strugglers Tranmere Rovers after such a poor display.

Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw at Anfield, with Trent frequently exposed defensively.

First, the England star was caught out by a through ball to Diogo Dalot, and was lucky Amad Diallo’s resulting header went wayward.

Then, he was caught ball-watching as Lisandro Martinez found Rasmus Hojlund, who should have scored.

Fortunately for Liverpool, the Danish forward also failed to convert – but Alexander-Arnold’s luck eventually ran out.

He was again at fault as United scored their first goal, ball-watching and walking whilst Martinez waltzed past him to fire home the opening goal.

Roy Keane Brutally Slams Trent Alexander-Arnold

With Real Madrid rumours growing, there is a strong suspicion that Trent Alexander-Arnold will be at the Bernabeu next season.

But Roy Keane offered a different destination in his half-time analysis on Sky Sports yesterday.

He said: “Trent’s defending has been awful today.

“We’re talking about him going to Real Madrid but he’ll be going to Tranmere Rovers after this performance.”

Keane’s comments prompted ex-Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge to put his head in his hands, stating he had “no words” in reply to Keane.

The former United captain then added: “He doesn’t have to move house then, does he?

“But he’s got to do better defensively, he’s got to do better.”

Tranmere Rovers Respond To Roy Keane Comments

League Two outfit Tranmere Rovers offered an equally harsh response to Roy Keane’s suggestion.

On social media, they posted an image of their own right-back, Cameron Norman, with the caption: “Trent to Tranmere Roy? Nah, we’re alright thanks.”

❔ Trent to Tranmere, Roy? Nah, we're alright thanks.#TRFC #SWA pic.twitter.com/fQ6bgvUcDE

— Tranmere Rovers FC (@TranmereRovers) January 5, 2025

With United causing endless problems down Liverpool’s right flank, Reds boss Arne Slot had to act in the second half.

He hooked Alexander-Arnold off after the break, with many suggesting the player’s mind was elsewhere.

Pundits Have Their Say On Alexander-Arnold Situation

Speaking after the game on Sunday, ex-Manchester United fullback Gary Neville said: “I think the bid from Real Madrid is bad timing for him.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen, whether he’s going to leave Liverpool and go to Real Madrid or whether he’s not, but if you’ve got that going into a big game, you’re a local lad as well, that won’t be easy, the distractions of having all that noise.

“Real Madrid are a hell of an animal. I thought it was insulting, to be fair, from Real Madrid. They behave like that sometimes, they think they can get what they want.

“Liverpool are a football club of immense stature. They’re never going to sell Trent Alexander-Arnold for 20 million quid in January so you’re taking the mickey a little bit.

“I think that will have probably unnerved him this week.”

And Trent’s performance also earned criticism from one of his biggest supporters.

Liverpool stalwart and former captain Jamie Carragher echoed the comments made by other pundits about Alexander-Arnold’s performance.

He said: “I thought he was really poor. The game couldn’t have gone much worse for him, there was always going to be focus on him.

“I was expecting him to put in a performance he has put in so often where he dominates the game from right-back.

“I thought he’d be thinking about how everyone’s talking about him negatively, and that he’d put in a really big performance. He was poor defensively, but there was nothing going forward on the ball.

“Only he knows if the talk affected him, but the fact he was so poor in the first game after Real Madrid put a bid in tells me it must have affected him.”