Liverpool manager Arne Slot played down suggestions that Trent Alexander-Arnold's performance against Manchester United on Sunday was affected by rumours surrounding his future at Anfield.
The Liverpool right-back, having been heavily linked with Real Madrid this week, had a game to forget as United frustrated the Premier League leaders with a battling 2-2 draw.
Alexander-Arnold, now in the final six months of his contract at his boyhood club, struggled defensively and was at fault for the visitors’ first goal.
Slot does not believe the Real Madrid speculation had a big impact, but accepts other people will view the matter differently.
The Dutchman said: “I think nine out of 10 people will tell you that it affected him. I’m [the] one of the 10 that tells you that I don’t think that affected him.
“What affected him is that he had to play against Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot, two starters for Portugal, great, great players.
“If these players set themselves to a game – and that is what United once in a while does – then it’s very difficult to play against them.
“I think that is more difficult for Trent to play against than the rumours that were there during the week.
“But that’s my opinion, and probably everybody’s going to tell you that it had to do with the rumours.”
Liverpool, who restored a six-point lead over second-placed Arsenal with a game in hand, fought back to lead with a Cody Gakpo strike and Mohamed Salah penalty after Lisandro Martinez fired United ahead.
Yet they lacked their usual control and United, showing a spirit they have conspicuously lacked of late, restored parity 10 minutes from time through Amad Diallo.
Things might even have got worse for Liverpool as Harry Maguire spurned a gilt-edged stoppage-time chance to snatch victory for United.
Slot said: “Of course it feels for us as two points dropped.
“I think for many people what stays in their head is what happens in the end and that was a big chance for Maguire, of course.
“But what you then might tend to forget is that two minutes before, Virgil [van Dijk] had just as big a chance to make it 3-2 for us.
“In the end, it was a difficult game. It is not always easy to play against that style of football, especially if they have such good quality players.”
United’s performance arrested their run of three successive defeats and captain Fernandes voiced his frustration the side could not produce such intensity consistently.
The Portuguese told Sky Sports: “I’m pretty upset because if we show this today at Anfield against Liverpool, who are first in the league and probably the outstanding team in the Premier League this season, why can’t we do this every week?”
United manager Ruben Amorim was pleased with the response of his players after strong criticism following Monday’s loss to Newcastle.
He said: “I want to see my team play so much better but I think the most important thing here is the mentality. That is the key for everything.
“Today we were a different team, not because of the system, not because of the technical aspects or tactical aspects of the game [but because] we faced the competition in the way that we’re supposed to face every day, training and match.
“It doesn’t matter the place, the opponent. We need to face every day like that.”
List of officials:
Referees: Chris Broad, David Boon, Jeff Crowe, Andy Pycroft, Ranjan Madugalle and Richie Richardson.
Umpires: Aleem Dar, Kumara Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaffaney, Ian Gould, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Bruce Oxenford, Ruchira Palliyaguruge, Sundaram Ravi, Paul Reiffel, Rod Tucker, Michael Gough, Joel Wilson and Paul Wilson.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
BAD%20BOYS%3A%20RIDE%20OR%20DIE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Adil%20El%20Arbi%20and%20Bilall%20Fallah%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWill%20Smith%2C%20Martin%20Lawrence%2C%20Joe%20Pantoliano%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
Book%20Details
%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3EThree%20Centuries%20of%20Travel%20Writing%20by%20Muslim%20Women%3C%2Fem%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EEditors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiobhan%20Lambert-Hurley%2C%20Daniel%20Majchrowicz%2C%20Sunil%20Sharma%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EIndiana%20University%20Press%3B%20532%20pages%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
|
1.
|
United States
|
|
2.
|
China
|
|
3.
|
UAE
|
|
4.
|
Japan
|
|
5
|
Norway
|
|
6.
|
Canada
|
|
7.
|
Singapore
|
|
8.
|
Australia
|
|
9.
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
10.
|
South Korea
|
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A Prayer Before Dawn
Director: Jean-Stephane Sauvaire
Starring: Joe Cole, Somluck Kamsing, Panya Yimmumphai
Three stars
