Andy Robertson reveals why Trent Alexander-Arnold was treated differently to him at Liverpool
Former Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson has explained the difference in both praise and criticism that he and Trent Alexander-Arnold received during their Anfield tenures.
Appearing on The Overlap, Robertson discussed how he and Alexander-Arnold were subjected to differing amounts of praise and criticism during their Liverpool stints.
The Englishman, who Robertson described as âan unbelievable one-v-one defenderâ at his peak, traded in the Reds for Real Madrid in 2025. His fellow ex-Liverpool full-back also confessed that he âstarted to feel sorry for himâ during their Merseyside spells.
READ NEXT: Liverpool put player up for sale just six games into new season as Andoni Iraola gets ruthless
âItâs very different when youâre Englishâ - Andy Robertson explains why Trent Alexander-Arnold received additional criticism at Liverpool
As full-back partners, Robertson and Alexander-Arnold reached the 2018 Champions League final under Jurgen Klopp in their first-ever full season run-outs at Liverpool.
Advert
After enduring loss in Kiev, the Germanâs men returned to lift the European trophy in 2019, and ran Pep Guardiolaâs Manchester City to the wire with a 97-point Premier League campaign in 2018-19.
By 2020, when Liverpool lifted the English top-flight trophy with a 99-point term, the Redsâ full-back pairing were frequently battling in the Premier Leagueâs assist charts.
Despite their often evenly-matched attacking strengths, Robertson claimed he âalways said to Trent: âI will never get as much high praise as you, but Iâll never get as much criticism as you.ââ
The Scotsman also acknowledged that his defensive play at Liverpool differed to that of Alexander-Arnold, leading him to âfeel sorryâ for the Reds right-back.
"The way I defended at Liverpool compared to Trent was very different. I had Sadio [Mane] helping me out and he was a bit more aggressive so if I missed [a tackle], he'd usually be there,â said Robertson.
With Mo [Salah], we didn't want him coming back towards our box. A lot of times, Trent was waiting on someone like [Jordan Henderson] to come over, so, sometimes, I started to feel sorry for him.
"It's very different when you are English, compared to another nationality. I always said to Trent, 'I will never get as much high praise as you, but I'll never get as much criticism as you,ââ concluded the Scotsman.
Andy Robertson explains âstigmaâ that followed Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool
The now Tottenham Hotspur left-back then discussed Alexander-Arnoldâs defensive prowess at greater length, claiming the Englishman was âan unbelievable one-v-one defenderâ on the largest of European stages, and against the strongest of European opposition.
In 2017-18, when Kloppâs men marched to the Champions League final, the Liverpool right-back recorded 2.5 tackles per game, and won nearly seven duels per match.
In Kiev, where the Reds lost 3-1 after two goalkeeping errors from Loris Karius, the then 19-year-old made seven ball recoveries, four defensive contributions, and recorded 100% tackle accuracy.
"I've seen him lock out [Kylian] Mbappe at PSG. In the Champions League finals, he was unbelievable. Trent is a very, very good defender⊠[in his] best games, he was an unbelievable one-v-one defender.
"Now, at times, he maybe makes mistakes. But we all do. But it's if [Trent] had this stigma around him, that he can't defend. And he's had that from a very early age. It's as if he can't shift it,â concluded the Scotsman.
Despite frequent world-class outings for Liverpool, prior to a sinking stint thus far in Spain, the Englishman has received few call-ups for his nation.
Alexander-Arnold is part of Thomas Tuchelâs latest England squad, but the 27-year-oldâs stuttering La Liga career remains in the balance.
Kedar Bayley