‘We have to look after him’: Slot on swapping hapless Alexander-Arnold | Liverpool

Arne Slot waved away Trent Alexander-Arnold’s visible disappointment when he was substituted during Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Brentford at Anfield, saying “we have to take good care of him”.

The Dutchman replaced the England international after 72 minutes, with Conor Bradley coming on. Alexander-Arnold did not seem happy when he was taken to the bench, even after Slot went to talk to him.

Liverpool’s new manager said, when asked about the episode: “He didn’t look too happy after he was taken off. I get that. Every player wants to play 90 minutes. But I don’t think the players who were on the bench from the start were really happy with the choice I made. But Trent came back from the national team, where he played quite a lot at the beginning of the tournament, but then he didn’t. He had a couple of weeks off, came back, this is only his third game.

“We have to take good care of him, because we need him the whole season and not just the first two games. But what is good for me is that I also have a very good reserve with Conor. So we take good care of Trent. But he played a good game.”

Goals from Luis Díaz and Mohamed Salah gave Slot victory in his first game as manager at Anfield, making it two wins in the 45-year-old’s first two games in charge following a 2-0 win at Ipswich Town.

“The reception (at Anfield) was similar to the reception from all the people around the training ground and who work for Liverpool,” he said. “I can’t speak for all the (previous) managers but I think they would all say that we feel the warmth of this club and the appreciation of the club and that we have to try to play in the style of this club.”

Slot said of his start at Liverpool: “Two good wins, against tough opponents, we had a very good opening game, but there is still a lot to prove. Ipswich and Brentford deserve our respect.”

Salah has now scored twice, Diaz and Jota once each. Slot said: “It’s about getting all these players like Lucho (Diaz), Mo (Salah), Darwin (Núñez, a substitute against Brentford), into attacking positions and then they can show their quality.”

Ivan Toney, who Brentford are open to selling, was not in Thomas Frank’s Matchday 20. Asked if a deal for the striker to leave was close, the manager said: “Very good question, I haven’t asked Phil (Giles, the director of football) about this for the last two or three days. He’s been training well, good attitude.”