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He’s at it again. The moment Trent Alexander-Arnold set foot in Liverpool again, you just knew Roy Keane would be piping up.
The former Manchester United captain has had absolutely no problem voicing his opinion on the right-back over the years, usually to tell him why everything he’s doing is wrong. Yet, the moment the defender leaves Anfield, Keane suddenly changes his tune.
Alexander-Arnold was, of course, subjected to boos from Liverpool fans during Tuesday’s Champions League clash as he returned to his boyhood club for the first time since his divisive move to Real Madrid. Keane - never one to miss an opportunity to stick the boot in - decided he would take aim at the Reds faithful on this one.
“The reputation of Liverpool fans is that they are loyal and a level up from most supporters,” Keane said on the latest episode of Stick to Football.
“Whatever anyone else says, I think for any player to go back with the service he gave, his contract was up, to boo him. That's fine, you aren't going to argue with supporters. Liverpool fans will obviously think, 'We are the biggest club in the world' like all supporters.
“I'm not saying you give the kid the thumbs up for leaving you. But why would you go to a match and boo a lad who has played 260/270 games, stats are fantastic? You don't have to wish him luck in Madrid.
“But to go to the effort of thinking, 'I'm going to boo this kid' as a local lad and Liverpool fans, for some reason, think they've got class. Liverpool fans have to have a good look at themselves.”
Those same supporters will scoff at the idea of being given a lecture on class from Keane, and rightly so. For years, Liverpool fans were often the only ones sticking up for Alexander-Arnold against the outspoken pundit’s unnecessary barbs.
This is a man who seemingly made it his mission to belittle this “kid” - 27 years old, by the way - at every opportunity. Keane has described Alexander-Arnold as a “schoolboy” and someone who looks “like he has never played at right-back” in the past year alone, and there are plenty more examples of him taking shots, even when Trent has undeniably been the best player on the pitch.
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Yet Liverpool fans are the ones who are told to show some class after the right-back ran down his contract and decided to leave in the prime of his career, having insisted he wanted to become the captain of his boyhood club before effectively going silent in his final year. Please, do us a favor.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is no longer a Liverpool player, so why should fans be obliged to give him a warm welcome back when he’s now actively trying to stop the Reds from winning? Yes, he played a huge role in the club’s success over the past few years, but it was HIS decision to walk away from that, and just when the club looked set to capitalize under Arne Slot.
And just because he’s a local lad, that doesn’t mean he’s automatically exempt from criticism. Keane should know that himself - after all, he’s had no problem slamming Marcus Rashford at Manchester United.
Discussing his isolation from training under Ruben Amorim last season, Keane commented: "I can't get involved in the conversation, I still can't understand at any level. Whatever's going on with players leaving, months left on contracts, a player who doesn’t train properly... I don't understand it.
"You might as well leave me out of this conversation. Especially if you think he wants to move, which is more of a reason to train properly so when you go to a new club you're up to speed and when you leave the club at least you showed a decent attitude. He must be ashamed."
Pure class there from the former United captain. After all, what has Rashford ever done, other than come through the ranks at Old Trafford, represent his country and help feed millions of school children during the pandemic?
Keane, like so many other pundits, has absolutely no right to tell Liverpool fans how they should feel about Alexander-Arnold, and he certainly shouldn’t be lecturing them on class.
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