Slot: United quality, not Madrid links affected TAA

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot disagreed with the idea that Trent Alexander-Arnold's lacklustre display in his team's 2-2 draw with Manchester United came as a result of speculation linking the full-back with a move to Real Madrid.

Alexander-Arnold, alongside teammates Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, is out of contract at the end of the season and sources have told ESPN he is Madrid's top defensive target following a long-term injury to right-back Dani Carvajal.

The Spanish club approached Liverpool about signing the 26-year-old in the January window earlier this week, but sources told ESPN Madrid's advances were swiftly rebuffed by the Premier League leaders.

Slot insisted ahead of Sunday's clash with United that Alexander-Arnold remains "fully-committed" to Liverpool, however the defender struggled against a spirited United side at Anfield, with both of the visitors' two goals coming down his flank.

Liverpool's manager, though, was quick to shut down claims that Alexander-Arnold has let the noise surrounding his future affect him, and said it was United's quality that made it a difficult afternoon for the right-back.

"I don't believe in those things," Slot said in his post-match news conference. "I think nine out of 10 people will tell you that it affected him, but I'm one of the 10 that tells you I don't think that affected him.

"What I think affected him was that he had to play Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot who are two starters for Portugal, great, great players. We have a fantastic player here in Diogo Jota and he's not even playing for Portugal, so that tells you how much quality United have. And if these players set themselves to a game, and that is what United once in a while does, then it's very difficult to play against them.

"I think it is more difficult for Trent to play against Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot than it is the rumours that were there in the week. That's my opinion, but everyone will probably tell you it's to do with the rumours."

He added: "It was clear Trent had some difficult moments as we as a team had but that is also for Trent not the first time. I think the majority of games he has played for this club he was very, very good but I can't believe if people tell me he's never played a bad game for this club, so that's probably happened before and mostly against quality players like United have."

Sunday's draw means Liverpool go six points clear at the top of the Premier League table, with a game in hand. Asked whether the result felt like two points dropped, Slot said: "Of course, it feels for us like two points dropped. I think for many people what stays in their head is what happens at the end and that was a big chance for [Harry] Maguire, but I think what people forget is that two minutes before Virgil has maybe just as big a chance to make it 3-2.

"In the end, it was a difficult game -- a bit similar maybe to the Nottingham Forest game where the playing style of both teams is about defending in a low block with a lot of bodies. That is not always easy to play against that style of football."