Kylian Mbappe just proved Jamie Carragher's controversial Liverpool contract theory right
Conor Bradley produced one of the best performances of his Liverpool career as he shackled Kylian Mbappe during the victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League.
The Northern Irishman was handed his first start in the competition as Trent Alexander-Arnold was only deemed fit enough for a place on the substitutes' bench, and proved there will indeed be life after Alexander-Arnold if the right-back ends up joining Wednesday's opponents at the end of the season.
The England international is one of three key Liverpool players who — as things stand — will be out of contract at the end of the season, with Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk in identical situations.
Salah's situation in particular has been a talking point this week after comments he made following the Reds' win at Southampton last weekend, when he said he was "more out than in" having not yet received a contract renewal offer from the club.
After Salah's comments, Jamie Carragher spoke out, affirming that Liverpool will be fine without Salah if he leaves, irrespective of how influential he has been since arriving in 2017.
“I hope Mo Salah and the other two players who are involved in this – Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold – don’t feel like this club would fall apart if they ever move on," Carragher said.
“Steven Gerrard left the football club, the next manager came in and won the league. Steven Gerrard didn’t win the league, Jurgen Klopp won the league with a new team. Salah, would we miss him if he moved on? Of course we would, but I can assure you, Liverpool would move on.”
Bradley's performance against Madrid showed that Carragher's comments also apply in the right-back position; if Alexander-Arnold leaves, there is another top-class option there ready to take his place.
Alexander-Arnold has not had much to say about where he wants to be playing next season and beyond, and said in September that he had no intention of letting negotiations over an extension with Liverpool play out in public.
"I want to be a Liverpool player this season [as a minimum] is what I will say," the 26-year-old said. "I have been at the club 20 years now. I have signed four or five contract extensions and none of those have been played out in public - and this one won't be either."