Trent Alexander-Arnold was set to line up against Liverpool in the Champions League, but he may no longer be able to face his former club.
Trent Alexander-Arnold shocked Liverpool supporters when he made the decision to run down his contract and seek a move away from the club.
Alexander-Arnold was offered a new contract which would have seen him become one of the best paid full-backs in the world. Liverpool even rejected an approach from Real Madrid and did everything in their power to keep the defender at his boyhood team.
The player himself was careful not to give anything away. Last December he told Sky Sports:
“I have been at the club 20 years now, I have signed four or five contract extensions and none of those have been played out in public – and this one won’t be either.”
In the end, Alexander-Arnold made his move to Real Madrid and in the eyes of Liverpool supporters, he betrayed the club who made him the player he is today.
Therefore, there was plenty of anticipation when Liverpool were once again drawn to face Real Madrid in the Champions League. The England right-back would be welcomed back to Anfield with hostility and bitterness. Every touch would likely be booed as the supporters showed their disdain for the player they once adored.
However, the former player has already come under criticism for his start to life at Real Madrid. The Spanish media has accused him of being too ‘timid’ in possession and always opting for the ‘easy pass.’
The defending has also been laid into, although he was not exempt from this at Liverpool either. As a result, it seemed that the 26-year-old might not have to face the Anfield crowd anyway.
Daniel Carvajal may be getting on in years, but he is still a solid defender. He has made four La Liga appearances and it would not have been surprising if he was given the nod ahead of Alexander-Arnold.
Then Real Madrid’s opening Champions League fixture happened and Carvajal’s place in the first-team looked certain after Alexander-Arnold pulled up injured just five minutes into the game. It has now been reported that he could miss up to six weeks with a hamstring problem, which could cause him to miss the Liverpool fixture.
There is still a chance Alexander-Arnold is fit in time to travel to Anfield, with the match taking place on November 4. However, nothing is certain at this point in time.
Real Madrid will be hoping to have their summer signing back because Carvajal was sent off against Marseille for headbutting the opposition goalkeeper. The length of the Spaniard’s punishment is not yet known, but there is a chance he will be suspended when Liverpool host Xabi Alonso’s team.
If Carvajal is handed a three match ban, Alexander-Arnold is likely to start even if he has only just returned from injury. However, it could be that both players have to sit the tie out, handing Liverpool a big advantage.
