Andy Robertson launches passionate defence of Liverpool team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold after departing full-back was booed against Arsenal

Andy Robertson admitted it hurt him to see team-mate and friend Trent Alexander-Arnold get booed by the Anfield crowd on Sunday as he praised the departing full-back.

Alexander-Arnold confirmed this past week that he has made the decision to leave the Reds with the Englishman expected to join Real Madrid in the summer.

The announcement has not been received well by Liverpool fans and they made their feelings known on Sunday afternoon.

Alexander-Arnold started on the bench against the Gunners but was brought on during the second half.

Boos rung around the ground as he made his way onto the pitch before they began to chant the name of his understudy Conor Bradley, who had started in his place.

‘Obviously there’s a lot of emotion around it,’ Robertson said after the 2-2 draw.

The departing full-back was booed as he made his way onto the pitch in the second half

‘I think it’s crucial in these moments that I don’t tell you how to feel about it and you don’t tell me how to feel about it. All I can tell you is how I feel about it. 

‘First of all I’m disappointed to lose my best mate, we’ve done it all together. He’s an amazing player and an amazing person. 

‘He’s made me a better player and that’s from the bottom of my heart. He’s took me to levels I never knew existed. 

‘He kept pushing me through the good years and he’s made a choice. I think his legacy at the club is there for everyone to see. The trophies he’s won, the moments he’s had in history will always be there.

‘It is of course an emotional decision and it’s not been an easy one. He’s made the decision and it’s not nice to see a friend get booed but as I said we can’t tell people how to act. 

‘I can tell you how I feel about, I’m extremely proud of what he’s done for the club. I love him as a friend and player and he will be missed for me as one of my best friends in the game.’

Speaking after Sunday’s game, manager Arne Slot defended his decision to bring Alexander-Arnold on.

‘The thing I consider is I want to win a game of football and if we think we can win with Trent, I owe it to his team-mates and to the fans, because they (Liverpool) hired me to win as many games of football as possible,’ he said. 

Robertson (right) and Alexander-Arnold have become close friends during their time at Anfield

The two full-backs have spent the last eight seasons playing together at the club 

‘And if I think there’s a better chance of winning with Trent, then I will (pick him).

‘If I think it’s a distraction or whatever can happen for us not to play a good game of football, then I might make another decision.

‘But I think Trent showed today why I brought him in because he was very close with a few fantastic crosses for us to win the game. 

‘It is definitely difficult for him,’ added the Dutchman. ‘Maybe he is positively surprised how the reactions were. It was clear there were mixed reactions, it wasn’t all negative.

‘The moment he had to take the free-kick, everybody was cheering for him to score and he was close.

‘I am not sure if he has negative feelings about today…maybe, maybe, I haven’t spoken to him.’