The Reds solidified their good start to the season at the weekend, sweeping aside the Cherries to win 3-0.
The result – coupled with Man City’s late draw against Arsenal – means that Liverpool head into Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie with West Ham sitting second in the Premier League table.
It was a relief as much as anything to see the Reds pick up three points following a surprise loss against Nottingham Forest the week before.
Since the game, while plenty has been said about how good Liverpool were against Bournemouth, the spotlight has once again fallen on Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Alexander-Arnold made some comments about his future over the weekend, and journalist Paul Gorst has admitted to being surprised by what the right-back did immediately after Liverpool’s win at Anfield on Saturday.
Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool celebrates with Andrew Robertson of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bour...
Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
While results continue to be good on the pitch for Liverpool this season, there is a very high profile side-show running alongside the campaign.
As we prepare to head into October, Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are still yet to sign new contracts to stay at Anfield.
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Consequently, all three are currently slated to leave at the end of the current campaign. That is a pretty terrifying thought for Liverpool fans.
With Alexander-Arnold said to be ‘constantly’ talking to Jude Bellingham about Real Madrid, there is a genuine worry that the Scouser could leave his boyhood club for nothing.
Having so far refrained from speaking in public about the matter, though, Trent surprised the world by having a fair bit to say about his own situation on Saturday. And speaking on the Blood Red: Liverpool FC podcast, Gorst has admitted that he hadn’t expected such openness from the right-back.
“Trent said after the Milan game, I think one or two of them [reporters] asked him to stop and he did the old ‘I’ll see you after the next game’ trick which he tends to do, which is like his polite way of saying no essentially,” says the journalist.
“So, I thought he’s probably not going to stop and speak about his future at Anfield.
“He sort of gave us a polite brush off at Ipswich so he knows full well questions about his contract are going to come. So, maybe he was just giving himself a little couple of days to figure out what he might want to say when those questions inevitably come.
“Full credit to him,” adds Gorst. “He did stop after the game and he did front up and answer the questions about it which I have to say I was surprised about because I know he’s been wanting to keep a little bit of a dignified silence as this sort of contract impasse goes on.”
What did Trent Alexander-Arnold say?
As Gorst says, the easy thing here would have been for Trent to keep his council. But the time has obviously come in negotiations where he feels the need to go more public.
As it turned out, Alexander-Arnold ultimately had a fair bit to say around his potential new contract. Perhaps the part that had Liverpool supporters worried was when the England international addressed whether he wants to stay.
“I want to be a Liverpool player this season (as a minimum) is what I will say,” he said via The Athletic.
“I have always said I want to captain the club. That is an aim of mine and a goal of mine, whether that happens is out of my hands, to be honest.”
Plenty will read these quotes one way, others will take them completely differently. But, the fact that Alexander-Arnold stuck to his word and spoke at all is perhaps an encouraging sign. Only time will tell.
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