Liverpool boss Arne Slot has perfect Paul Scholes response with Alexander-Arnold gesture

Trent Alexander-Arnold couldn’t hide his delight as he bounced back to Liverpool’s AXA Training Centre on Thursday. Fresh from his impressive outings for England.

The Reds’ full-back was warmly welcomed by Arne Slot upon his return, with the coach exclaiming, “Ah, man of the match two times!” followed by a hearty “well done.”

It was clear that his recent international performances hadn’t gone unnoticed by the Liverpool hierarchy, and Alexander-Arnold was all grins after receiving such high praise, despite accusations from Manchester United icon Paul Scholes that the pair don’t get on.

Despite a challenging European Championship where he was unexpectedly deployed as a central midfielder and later became an easy target for criticism during England’s strenuous progression to the knockout phase, Alexander-Arnold’s fortunes seem to have taken a positive turn.

Benched during the critical moments of the tournament, he watched from the sidelines as England fell to Spain in the final, with a scoreline of 2-1 in July.

Now, under the interim management of Lee Carsley, Alexander-Arnold appears to be flourishing once again, delivering a series of exquisite passes that have caught the attention of even those who might not usually appreciate his exceptional talent.

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s return to his pioneering right-back position has seen him thrive for England, with the Liverpool star playing a pivotal role in the national team’s recent performances. His defence-splitting pass to Anthony Gordon against Ireland and a sharp assist to Noni Madueke, finished off by Harry Kane against Finland at Wembley, have highlighted his exceptional form.

Now back in his natural role, Alexander-Arnold is excelling, contributing to England’s five-game streak without conceding a goal this season.

The switch from wearing No. 8 to No. 2 for England signifies a tactical shift under Carsley, and Alexander-Arnold’s performances are drawing attention, even from those who have critiqued his defensive abilities in the past.

Scholes, speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, had claimed, “If Pep [Guardiola] was the manager of England he would play him every week. But someone like Gareth Southgate, who is not as attacking, will be thinking: ‘He might give the ball [away].'”.

Gary Neville also weighed in, sharing his insights from a lengthy interview with Alexander-Arnold last season: “I interviewed him for two or three hours last season. Roy [Keane], honestly, I was stunned. Honestly no I was mesmerised by, I was mesmerised by the fact that, you know, you have sort of, you look at someone, you think he’s a brilliant player, but then you look at him, I’ve been critical of him defensively, you’ve been critical of him.”

Scholes expressed his surprise at Slot’s football knowledge: “You’ve said he shouldn’t play in midfield. I could not believe how much he knew about football historically in the last 20, 25 years, and how many games he watched and how much into it he was. And then maybe I shouldn’t be surprised but I couldn’t believe it. He was asking loads of questions, he was dead inquisitive.”

However, Scholes also made a bizarre claim about Slot’s reaction to Alexander-Arnold’s long balls: “Every time when he was trying his long balls (against Manchester United), which he can do brilliantly, he (Slot) kept shaking his head and turning around and I thought: ‘F***ing hell, I’m not sure he likes him.'”.

Jamie Carragher responded with scepticism, saying “You’re trying to get rid of him, aren’t you?”