Not for the first time, Liverpool legend Jurgen Klopp has found himself sticking up for Trent Alexander-Arnold. In a season where he has improved defensively, one particularly poor performance against Manchester United ignited the conversation again.

It didn't help, of course, that Alexander-Arnold played so badly just days after news broke that Real Madrid was trying to sign him in January. But since then, he has improved again, looking good against Spurs and scoring a brilliant goal against Accrington in the FA Cup.

"We talk about how brilliant Trent is going forward but Trent's defending today, my goodness, it's like schoolboy stuff," Roy Keane said while working as a pundit for Sky Sports for Liverpool vs. Man United at the start of the month. "There's talk about him going to Real Madrid, but the way he's defending he'll be going to Tranmere Rovers after this. He's got to do better."

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But Klopp hit back at the wider criticism of his former player during his Red Bull unveiling press conference. "Trent — he could finally learn to defend!" Klopp said. "I can't believe you all discuss this still. It is so poor!

"I am really happy that I am not part of it. I watched some press conferences where Arne Slot is getting asked and it is like 'They still don't understand!'. He didn't play well against Manchester United but if we made as much of a fuss when he does play well, then it would be really cool."

Slot is in agreement. "Trent has had one difficult game for us [in the 2-2 draw with Manchester United at Anfield] and maybe a few that were OK to good," he said last week. "Mainly, he has had great games when he played for us this season."

Liverpool.com says: Klopp has a point about Alexander-Arnold and the only thing the Reds' vice-captain can do is keep playing well. The Manchester United game was a bad one but as long as he performs well, any contract noise will be staved off as much as is realistically possible.