Gary Neville claims 'insulting' Real Madrid offer resulted in dire Trent Alexander-Arnold performance against Man Utd - as Jamie Carragher accuses Liverpool defender of 'inviting' bid

England international Alexander-Arnold has come in for fierce criticism on the back of his performance in a 2-2 draw with the Red Devils at Anfield, with Roy Keane claiming during that Premier League contest that the 26-year-old is more suited to Merseyside neighbours Tranmere Rovers than La Liga giants Madrid.

United enjoyed plenty of success in the area of the field that Reds right-back Alexander-Arnold was supposed to be covering, with two assists provided from that flank, with the first a result of the England international giving the ball away. There have been claims that his eye has been taken off the ball by offers from Madrid during the January transfer window – as his contract at Liverpool runs down towards free agency.

United legend Neville told Sky Sports when assessing Alexander-Arnold’s abject display and the possible reasons for it: “The bid for Real Madrid is bad timing for him, now I don't know what's going to happen with Trent Alexander-Arnold whether he's going to leave Liverpool or not but if you've got that going into a big game, you're a local lad as well, that won't be easy with that distraction. Manchester United are an animal, I thought it was insulting from Real Madrid, they do that sometimes they think they can get what they want.

“Liverpool are a club of immense stature, they're never going to sell you Trent Alexander-Arnold for £20 million in January, they're taking the mickey a little bit. That's probably unnerved him a little, you can imagine his family, his agents, all saying, 'what's going on?' you can imagine that noise - which I don't think would've been helpful.”

Neville went on to claim that fellow pundit and Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher believes that Alexander-Arnold’s representatives “invited the bid from Real Madrid”. Carragher responded to those comments by saying: “We're not naive enough to think Real Madrid would put a bid in for a player in January for a player for nothing in four months. Do you seriously believe they're sat at home and it comes through on Sky Sports, 'wow'. Of course they do.

“Because he's getting criticism that he might leave for free now if Real Madrid put a bid in in January and Liverpool don't accept, maybe they can say, 'well you were offered £30 million to £40 million', for me it was to buy a little bit of time if he goes for free, they can say Liverpool were offered £20m, £30m to £40m.”

Liverpool have resisted efforts from Real to land Alexander-Arnold in the winter window, as they remain in the hunt for multiple honours in the 2024-25 campaign. An offer of fresh terms has reportedly been put to the buccaneering full-back, but he appears to be heading for the exits at Anfield.