Liverpool will host Arsenal at Anfield this Sunday in the 36th round of the Premier League. The early English champions will witness a guard of honor for Mikel Arteta’s team, who recently lost to Paris Saint-Germain and were eliminated from the Champions League.

The notable topic in Arne Slot’s pre-match press conference was the future of Trent Alexander-Arnold. The defender announced this week that he has decided to leave after 20 years and will not renew his contract at the end of the season.

Slot addressed various topics in his press conference, including Alexander-Arnold’s departure, right-back selection, using reserve players, and transfers. Here are the highlights:

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Decision to Leave Liverpool?

Like anyone who loves Liverpool, I am disappointed and sad. A great person and an excellent right-back is leaving us. I’ve worked at clubs like AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord, where good players leave every season.

Future Right-Back Selection?

If Conor Bradley had been available for the Chelsea match, he would have started.

Alexander-Arnold’s Departure Before the Club World Cup?

Trent hasn’t said anything about his destination, only that he’s leaving the club. It’s impossible for me to count on him now.

Conor Bradley?

Let’s not compare him to Trent; they are two different types of players. Conor is a very talented player, but unfortunately, he’s been injured at times this season. We have a lot of faith in him. Conor will start on Sunday because he needs more games to prepare for next season.

Using Reserve Players Against Arsenal?
 
Many factors influence my decisions, one of which is the loss to Chelsea. We’ll see how we perform on Sunday, but as I said, Conor will start.

Fans’ Reaction to Trent on Sunday?

I’m not here to tell fans how to react. I’ll see Trent soon and wait to see how he feels. I hope all the energy on Sunday is directed toward our players. We don’t talk about contracts, nor do we talk about strengthening the team in different areas. Finding players better than what we have isn’t easy.

Transfers?

Finding players better than what we have isn’t easy. If such players exist, they must be financially affordable and willing to join our club. The latter isn’t usually a problem, but sometimes transfer costs become an issue.

Jarell Quansah?

The final step he needs to take is to avoid mistakes. He has all the qualities needed to play for this club. A big part of our league title depends on consistency, and it’s difficult for a young player to achieve that.