Anfield reception ‘biggest compliment’ for Trent Alexander-Arnold – Arne Slot

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot praised the performance of Trent Alexander-Arnold and the reaction he received from the Anfield fans as he captained the side to a 4-0 FA Cup win over Accrington.

A week after one of the worst performances of his career against Manchester United, the England international, wearing the armband in the absence of Virgil van Dijk, put in a commanding display which was topped by a brilliant goal, having had a hand in Diogo Jota’s opener.

Eighteen-year-old Jayden Danns added a third and Federico Chiesa a late fourth, but the victory was crafted at the feet of Alexander-Arnold, whose expiring contract remains a source of frustration for supporters.

“I could talk for hours about that (goal), unbelievable,” Slot said.

“The biggest compliment Trent could get was the reaction of everyone after the Manchester United game.

“Every player around the world, maybe except for a few, has a bad game and that is completely normal, but the moment Trent has one, everyone has an opinion about it.

“Maybe that is because of the contract situation. I don’t know if that wasn’t there if people would have reacted in the same way.

“You have such a great first half of the season and you don’t play a good game against United – and that was clear for me, for you, the fans and the analysts who saw the game – but many of them were quite hard on him.

“I think it was good for him to play in our own stadium and feel the reception of the fans again, it was also special again today and that can only help him and us.”

Chiesa put in his best performance of a disjointed Anfield career since joining in late August, albeit against a League Two side who were well under the cosh at 2-0 down when he came on at half-time.

However, his display – he hit a post before finally squeezing a shot past William Crellin in the 90th minute – provided a significant confident boost after fitness problems.

“You want to score your first goal, especially in front of your fans,” added Slot.

“That’s what he’s done now and it’s a good next step. Let’s not carried away too much. Although I liked the way Accrington played a lot, it is a League Two team, but it is a good next step for him to be available and even score a goal.”

Accrington boss John Doolan, a former Liverpool academy coach who had Alexander-Arnold as a six-year-old, was pleased with the way his side performed.

“It was brilliant. I know the scoreline was 4-0, but I wanted us to give a good account of ourselves as individuals, as a club and supporters,” he said.

“We didn’t get wrapped up in the occasion or the emotion, we had a gameplan and we frustrated them for 25 to 30 minutes. We needed a bit more quality going forward and just didn’t have it.

“To concede from our free-kick was a little disappointing, but at the same time we are playing against world-class players and from one box to another they are there in a flash.

“We got a reaction and then another world-class player pops up in Trent Alexander-Arnold who puts one into the top corner. You just have to take your medicine.

“We had the moments where maybe we could capitalise but didn’t. They were nearly moments that got the fans off the seat and got us jumping up in the dugout.”