Alexis Mac Allister scored the only goal just after the hour mark to secure a vital win for Arne Slot’s team on Tuesday night, as Real Madrid failed to find the net for the first time this season. Most of the build-up focused on what kind of reception Trent Alexander-Arnold would face on his return to Anfield, and Virgil van Dijk’s comments afterwards showed exactly how the players felt.
Slot endured a difficult October. After starting the season strongly with five wins as he attempted to defend last year’s Premier League title, Liverpool then suffered six defeats in seven matches across all competitions, which unsettled supporters. Beating Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid 1–0 helped ease the pressure. Mac Allister’s header proved decisive, but attention centered on Alexander-Arnold, who was loudly booed during warm-ups and again when he replaced Arda Guler in the 81st minute.
Van Dijk’s blunt response when asked about Alexander-Arnold
Alexander-Arnold is no longer warmly viewed at Liverpool after leaving for Madrid on a free transfer this summer. Fans believe he deliberately ran down his contract, costing the club a large transfer fee. Before his return, the word “rat” was spray-painted over his mural near Anfield, a tribute to his achievements across 354 senior appearances under Jurgen Klopp. Many supporters have turned against him.
Although Liverpool players such as Mohamed Salah were seen comforting him after full time, the home crowd booed every touch he made.
In a post-match interview, Theo Walcott asked Van Dijk if he’d spoken to Alexander-Arnold. “Virg, did you get a chance to see Trent before the game?” Walcott asked.
Van Dijk, visibly stern despite the victory, replied with a short: “No.”
Fans loved the Dutch defender’s straight answer. “Didn’t think I could respect our captain more, but I do now,” one supporter wrote on X. Another joked, “I nearly fell over laughing — perfection.” A third fan said, “He clearly can’t stand him.”
Jude Bellingham, a teammate of Alexander-Arnold for club and country, insisted the boos weren’t personal. Speaking to Amazon Prime, he said fans were just trying to unsettle him, and that they still appreciate what he achieved at Liverpool.
A product of Liverpool’s academy and once one of their most celebrated youngsters, Alexander-Arnold has made 11 appearances under Alonso so far, though he has not yet secured a regular starting spot — unlike his days on Merseyside.
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