Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson has labelled criticism of Trent Alexander-Arnold after his performance against Manchester United as “madness” and believes supporters cannot blame the vice-captain if his heart is set on a move to Real Madrid.

Alexander-Arnold is the subject of interest from La Liga giants Madrid with Liverpool turning down an approach for their right-back late last month. The No.66 is now free to speak to los Blancos, however, about a pre-contract agreement to move as a free agent in the summer now he is inside the final six months of his deal on Merseyside.

The approach from the Spanish capital came days before Alexander-Arnold turned in a performance that was widely viewed as below par in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United at Anfield but Johnson, who played right-back for the Reds for six years between 2009 and 2015, believes the current incumbent has a right to explore his options.

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“He was poor defensively (against Manchester United) but without being rude, it's not the first time we've seen it, Johnson told Tribal Football. “He's done it many times before and bounced back from it. He still brings an awful lot to the game.

“I guess there’s some frustration with the fact that he wasn't playing well and the fact that they (the supporters) kind of know he's very close to going to Madrid. So, they probably see him as being a little bit disloyal. Not that he is, because let's face it, he hasn't got a contract and he needs to play football somewhere.

“It was obviously a huge game and with him not playing well, the fans never live well with that. But to be yelling at him from the start is absolute madness.

“It was the other way around; I think it helped. If you know a giant is watching you and trying to sign you it means you're doing something right.

"It gave me more confidence. There's a lot of speculation in football before anything actually happens, so when my team were talking to those clubs, I was like, ‘don't tell me the chit-chat. Tell me when I have to make a decision. Otherwise, I don't need to know.’

"Obviously, other players like to know every detail and want to be involved. I'm not saying Trent Alexander-Arnold is like that, but some people do like to know it all and then sometimes maybe you're thinking too much.”

Johnson added: “It’s a really tough one. All his family live in Liverpool. But look, he's won everything. He's been great. He should not have been put in this position in the first place.

“No one at Liverpool can complain if he leaves because they should have re-signed him last year. And obviously, I don't think how the fans behaved towards him at the weekend helps him stay.

“And the criticism he gets in the UK doesn't help him stay either. Everyone wants him to stay, but then everyone's doing the opposite. And if you're getting abused in a home game, after winning everything, and then Real Madrid are saying:

‘Well come and play for us,’ that's going to be hard to turn down."