Jamie Carragher has remarked that he doesn’t believe Trent Alexander-Arnold should be starting for Liverpool amid uncertainty over his future.
With just five games left of the season, Alexander-Arnold is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal, and with every passing week, it looks increasingly likely he will complete a move to Real Madrid.
Against Leicester, Conor Bradley game but was replaced by the returning Alexander-Arnold, who scored the winner with his left foot for the first time in his career.
Despite his impact from the bench, pundit and Liverpool legend Carragher believes the 26-year-old should stay behind Bradley in the pecking order until the end of the season.
Asked who he would start against Tottenham next weekend, the ex-defender told Sky Sports: “Conor (Bradley).
“If this title wasn’t sewn up and it was edge and edge with Arsenal, you put your player on the pitch which is Trent.
“But Liverpool have won the league, that’s why you have to give him (Bradley) his head now with five games to go. Start him in all these games.
“He’ll have good games, he’ll have bad games. He’s a young defender, but give him that experience and then you get to the summer and you make your decision what you’re doing.”
Bradley started his second consecutive game against Leicester, with Alexander-Arnold only fit enough to come off the bench.
While the senior full-back will gain his fitness in the coming weeks, this could be a plan Arne Slot goes to again.
Carragher added: “If Trent hasn’t committed, which he hasn’t obviously to the manager for next season, then he shouldn’t be starting games. He shouldn’t be.”
Fellow pundit Micah Richards then tried to suggest that Alexander-Arnold should be played to give him a “send-off.”
Carragher correctly responded with scepticism, saying: “Yes, bring him (Alexander-Arnold) on as you did today if you maybe need to go and win the game, maybe against Spurs or a couple of weeks after that.
“But in terms of starting games right now, if Trent hasn’t committed to the club, which he obviously hasn’t, Conor Bradley should be starting every game.”
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Jamie Carragher’s reaction to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s celebration
As a professional, Carragher stayed at Liverpool for his entire career as he played 737 matches for the team.
Given his status as a one-club man, Carragher was asked about Alexander-Arnold’s particularly passionate celebration after being booed by a section of the away support.
“I think you can look at it both ways whatever you’re narrative,” Carragher said.
“I don’t know if it was just that real joy and sensation of getting such a vital goal, or it was a little bit of anger in there with the criticism that he’s taken because of the contract situation.
“He looks very happy and rightly so, and everybody in that stand’s happy as well and all Liverpool supporters watching from afar.”
Leicester 0-1 Liverpool
