Anfield was set to be a fortress for Liverpool, a daunting final stop for a wounded Arsenal side, and for 66 minutes, it lived up to that billing. But everything changed with the arrival of Trent Alexander-Arnold. The atmosphere shifted dramatically, not in favour of the home side, but against one of their own. As the full-back prepared to enter the pitch, boos erupted from the stands. They intensified as he stepped on and lingered with almost every touch he made. By the final whistle, the reaction had overshadowed the game itself.
Liverpool had built a 2-0 lead with goals from Cody Gakpo and Luis Díaz, capitalising on a lacklustre first-half display by Arsenal. Mikel Arteta’s side had looked vulnerable, perhaps still reeling from their Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain. They were also without Declan Rice, missing through a suspected hip injury. The mood among the home fans was buoyant at first, especially after witnessing their team being honoured as Premier League champions and hearing chants aimed at Arsenal’s European shortcomings.
The tone was firmly set early on when Conor Bradley made a strong opening challenge on Gabriel Martinelli. Yet, Arsenal had chances to lead. Bukayo Saka squandered a clear opportunity when he misfired from close range, and Thomas Partey also failed to capitalise on a defensive lapse.
But Liverpool took full control by the 21st minute. The first goal came when Andy Robertson found space to deliver a cross that Gakpo headed home. Arsenal’s defenders looked passive as the forward notched his 10th league goal of the season. Moments later, Dominik Szoboszlai latched onto a perfect pass from Mohamed Salah and squared it to Díaz, who slid in to double the lead. The Kop revelled in the dominance, mocking Arsenal’s recent European exit.
However, the visitors clawed their way back after the break. Martinelli reduced the deficit with a deft header from a Leandro Trossard cross, taking advantage of the space afforded to the Belgian. Arsenal gained momentum just as Alexander-Arnold replaced Bradley in a triple substitution. The reaction to his arrival was swift and cutting. Boos rang out once again when he misplaced a pass, and within seconds, Arsenal were level.
Martin Ødegaard’s powerful shot from the edge of the box was pushed onto the post by Alisson, and Mikel Merino was quickest to respond, heading in the rebound unmarked. The equaliser rattled Liverpool, and the unease in the crowd didn’t help. The hostility directed at Alexander-Arnold seemed to throw the team off balance.
Merino was later sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a foul on Szoboszlai, offering Liverpool hope. Alexander-Arnold took the resulting free-kick, but his effort curled just wide. In the dying moments, Robertson thought he had won it on his 250th league appearance, tapping in after a save from Virgil van Dijk’s header, only to be denied by the offside flag.
Despite the drama on the pitch, the story was dominated by the reception given to Alexander-Arnold. The boos, the distraction, and the reaction from teammates suggested deeper tensions. Whether he will feature in Liverpool’s final home game remains uncertain, but the rift between player and fanbase was impossible to ignore.
