Roy Keane has cast doubt on the ‘classy’ reputation often attributed to Liverpool supporters following the reception Trent Alexander-Arnold received on his return to Anfield as a Real Madrid player. The defender, who began his career with Liverpool, faced a wave of boos during his first game back at the club.

In the Champions League match against Liverpool on Tuesday night, Alexander-Arnold was initially seated on the bench for Real Madrid. The tension in the stadium heightened after Liverpool secured an early 1-0 lead. It reached its peak when Alexander-Arnold entered the field with only ten minutes left in the game.

The negative reception was partly due to lingering resentment over Alexander-Arnold’s departure from the club last summer. Many fans were displeased that the academy graduate allowed his contract to run down, ultimately leading to his exit.

Although Liverpool managed to secure a £10 million fee for Alexander-Arnold when Real Madrid signed him before the Club World Cup, it was a modest sum. The amount paled in comparison to what the club might have earned for a player of such high value and talent. This financial aspect only added to the disappointment among Liverpool supporters, who had seen Alexander-Arnold’s potential firsthand during his time at Anfield.

Liverpool ultimately received a £10m fee as Real Madrid brought Alexander-Arnold in prior to the Club World Cup, but it represented a fraction of the price the club could have received for one of their most valuable and talented players.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was booed by Liverpool fans on his return to Anfield on Tuesday

The former Liverpool man was brought on against his old side with the visitors 1-0 down

Roy Keane questioned the ‘classy’ reputation of Liverpool fans over their response to Alexander-Arnold 

Along with the boos, fans had pointedly sang club legend Steven Gerrard’s chant, before Conor Bradley, the man who started in Alexander-Arnold’s old spot and had an excellent game, was also serenaded.

The reaction of Liverpool supporters to Alexander-Arnold was questioned by Keane, who hit out at the reaction to a player who had starred for the club over nine seasons and had helped them win two Premier League titles and the Champions League. 

‘The reputation of Liverpool fans is that they are loyal and a level up from most supporters,’ Keane said on Stick to Football, sponsored by Arne.

‘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.’

Alexander-Arnold suffered defeat on his return as Liverpool earned an impressive 1-0 victory

Prior to the game, there was an indication of the hostile reaction that awaited Alexander-Arnold when his mural on the corner of Sybil Road near Anfield was vandalised.

The mural includes his reaction to winning the Champions League in 2019, when he declared: ‘I’m just a normal lad from Liverpool, whose dream has just come true.’

White paint was thrown over the depiction of Alexander-Arnold in his former No 66 Liverpool shirt.

The words ‘Adios El Rata’ – ‘Goodbye Rat’ – have also been written on the mural, along with three further statements declaring their former star to be a ‘rat’.

Alexander-Arnold had said in the run-up to his Anfield return: ‘Whatever way I’m received, is the decision of the fans.

‘I’ll always love the club, I’ll always be a fan of the club. I’ll always be thankful for the opportunities and the things we achieved together, they’ll live with me forever.

‘No matter what, my feelings won’t change towards Liverpool. I’ve got memories there that will last me a lifetime, and no matter how I’m received, that won’t change.’

Keane appeared to praise Alexander-Arnold’s handling of his exit from Liverpool, as he noted that the full back had remained quiet and not talked up remaining at the Premier League giants before ultimately leaving.

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s mural in Liverpool was vandalised with the message ‘Adios el Rata’ ahead of his return to the club

‘The beauty with Trent over the last year or two is that he has said very little,’ Keane said.

‘He’s not been one to say, “Oh I’d love to stay here.”

‘He has actually kept his mouth shut and sometimes that’s not a bad thing to do. How many times do you see players say, ‘Oh I love this club’ and then they leave. He kept it cool.’

Jamie Carragher, who spent his entire playing career at Liverpool, had claimed earlier this week that Alexander-Arnold’s silence had contributed to fans’ frustrations. 

Carragher said: Supporters decide what type of reaction he gets. The reason why it will be poor is because Trent, throughout those 20 years, has played the position of “I’m a supporter on the pitch”. 

‘The supporters in the stadium wouldn’t leave on a free transfer and go and play for Real Madrid. OK, it’s his career and he only gets one. He’s a young man and he’s been brilliantly successful. 

‘But what he’s said since he got in the Liverpool team, if that were to be true, that Liverpool is the only team for him and he wants to be captain and be a legend here, then you don’t leave when you’ve just won the league title and you’ve got the opportunity to go and win more trophies with your club. 

‘A lot of it is because they feel they’ve been hoodwinked a little bit by Trent throughout the process of him being at the club and also in the last year, where he hasn’t done any media interviews or said anything. 

‘There was talk around him, Salah and Van Dijk – who were both coming out constantly in the press saying they want to stay. Trent was very silent on the issue – and that’s where the frustration comes from for supporters.’

Alexander-Arnold would ultimately suffer disappointment on his return, as Liverpool produced a dominant performance to beat Real Madrid 1-0 in their high-profile Champions League clash.