‘Alexander-Arnold looks devastated’ – Liverpool fans react to surprise twist
Trent Alexander-Arnold was left on the bench by Arne Slot for the entirety of Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat at Brighton on Monday.
Liverpool failed to win for the third game in a row since they wrapped up the Premier League title against Tottenham last month, as Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton twice came from behind to beat them at the Amex.
Jack Hinshelwood’s 85th minute winner came after the Seagulls hit back from Harvey Elliott and Dominik Szoboszlai’s first-half strikes as Liverpool lost their second game in three, and for just the fourth time all season.
Slot once again started Conor Bradley ahead of Alexander-Arnold at right-back after he was booed by Liverpool fans against Arsenal at Anfield, and went a step further with Bradley’s 77th minute substitution.
Slot snubs Alexander-Arnold in Liverpool v Brighton decision
Bradley justified his starting place within nine minutes as he set up Elliott’s opening goal at the Amex, but the Northern Irishman was run ragged by Brighton goalscorer Kaoru Mitoma throughout the second half.
Slot withdrew Bradley with 13 minutes to go, but rather than repeating the Alexander-Arnold swap which drew criticism against Arsenal, the Liverpool boss brought on Wataru Endo to play at right-back instead.
| Brighton | Statistics | Liverpool |
| 3 | Goals | 2 |
| 2.20 | xG | 2.23 |
| 12 / 25 | Shots on Target | 5 / 18 |
| 49% | Possession | 51% |
| 3 | Corners | 3 |
With Alexander-Arnold therefore left on the bench for the entire match as Liverpool suffered defeat late on, the fallout of his confirmed exit and expected move to Real Madrid will continue to be a divisive issue.
At full-time, Liverpool’s away end celebrated their title victory regardless of the defeat, but Alexander-Arnold cut a lone figure as he watched on from a distance and didn’t get involved with his team-mates.
Trent Alexander-Arnold watches partying Liverpool fans after 3-2 Brighton defeat at Amex stadium 🔴 pic.twitter.com/apetASIdfA
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) May 20, 2025
‘Alexander-Arnold regrets his decision’ – Liverpool fans convinced
Slot has wasted no time in Liverpool’s efforts to replace Alexander-Arnold with Bayer Leverkusen wing-back Jeremie Frimpong seemingly on his way to Anfield, and some fans are happy to see the change.
Alexander-Arnold cut a folorn figure and was distant at best from the away end’s celebrations, and Reds supporters aplenty believe the 26-year-old “regrets his decision to leave” in the manner he will be doing.
Other fans argued that Slot was fully justified to leave out a player whose intention is to exit the club, and said that the reaction to his departure is Alexander-Arnold’s “own doing” after he’d “genuinely expected a hero’s farewell”.
Everyone’s celebrating, but Trent Alexander-Arnold looks gutted — and rightly so. This was supposed to be his moment, but he let the fans down when it mattered most. pic.twitter.com/dUPQouxGqv
— Abdulrahman Mohammed (@THEURAMO) May 20, 2025
Slot taking Trent all the way down to Brighton to sit in the bench, only to bring Endo on at right-back instead is really funny tbf
— Ste Hoare (@stehoare) May 19, 2025
Trent going down to Brighton to see Endo come on for Bradley is not emotional from Slot it’s evidence the club has moved on, Trent has had his BBQ and can get off as soon as he likes.
— Michael 🇪🇺 (@MAF_1958) May 20, 2025
50 odd years ago I walked down Breck from Shiel Road to my first game and it means a lot. 🔴
Wonder if Trent AA is regretting his decision to leave Liverpool FC at the end of the season after the Brighton game last night and the reaction from the Reds fans he looked like he was beginning to from the reaction on his face.#LFC #PremierLeague #Football
— Darren Carley 🇬🇧 (@DarrenJCarley76) May 20, 2025
Arne slot putting Endo for right back the last 15 minutes against Brighton…
— Peter Fjørtoft Sandanger (@PSandanger) May 19, 2025
Treating a Club Legend that way. Gotta feel bad for Trent
lol it’s his decision, listening to the other club to run down his contract, stay silent the whole time as vice captain, this is his own doing
— Dat (@youngqdatt31) May 20, 2025
Massively into Trent Alexander-Arnold having to go to Brighton and watch Endo be brought on and then at the end of the game seeing him fuming 😂
— Kopite306 (@IntoThemReds) May 20, 2025
From the perspective that Trent Alexander-Arnold genuinely expected a hero’s farewell, I can see why he’d be gutted here. Can’t even go and pump up the Liverpool away fans in case he gets booed again.
— Anthony Maruwa (@anthonymaruwa) May 20, 2025