"Man is washed," "That lazy unserious boy" - Fans take shots at Trent Alexander-Arnold after Liverpool's win over Ajax

Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold hasn't had the best of starts to the 2022/23 season and his poor showings continued in the Reds' 2-1 UEFA Champions League (UCL) win over Ajax.

Mohamed Salah opened the scoring for the Reds in the 17th minute at Anfield on September 13, but the Amsterdam giants hit back just nine minutes later.

Steven Berghuis and Steven Bergwijn combined on Liverpool's right flank, easing past Alexander-Arnold before Mohammed Kudus sent the ball into the net with a thunderous left-footed strike.

If not for Joel Matip's 89th-minute winner, Jurgen Klopp's side would have been forced to drop points for a second consecutive UCL match. They had previously lost 4-1 to Napoli in their opening UCL encounter this season.

After the match, fans on social media took shots at Alexander-Arnold for yet another sub-par performance.

It is worth mentioning that Alexander-Arnold was the center of criticism for failing to close down his side in the Reds' heavy defeat at Naples as well. The England international was also disparaged for his poor showing in a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United earlier this season.

Liverpool endure slow start to 2022/23 season

Liverpool haven't started the new season as they would have hoped for, managing just two wins in six Premier League games so far. They started off with consecutive draws against Fulham and Crystal Palace before Manchester United condemned them to their first defeat of the season.

The Reds responded brilliantly, dispatching Bournemouth 9-0 before getting the better of Newcastle United in a closely fought encounter. But they were taken to the cleaners against Napoli in their opening UCL encounter of the season, losing 4-1.

A win over Ajax will give them some confidence as they prepare to build momentum in the Premier League. They will next face Brighton & Hove Albion in the league on Saturday, October 1, before facing Rangers in their third UCL group-stage match of the season.

About the author

Sankalp is a veteran European and international football writer at Sportskeeda. He has a total experience of 8 years, having previously worked for some top companies such as Wisden India and Fox Sports Asia. An engineer by qualification, Sankalp places a very high emphasis on accuracy by leaving no stone unturned in his research, and prides himself on showcasing the human aspect of the sporting world.

Sankalp has had the privilege of interviewing senior Indian cricketers such as Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Chris Woakes in his experience so far. He has also covered various Indian and international matches, such as the 2019 ICC ODI World Cup when working for FOX.

Sankalp started following football after watching the 2002 FIFA World Cup with his family. He is a die-hard Manchester United supporter, who started following the club due to David Beckham. His favorite manager is Sir Alex Ferguson and favorite player is Lionel Messi, both for setting unattainable benchmarks. He considers Barcelona’s incredible 6-1 second leg comeback win in the 2016-17 UCL against Paris Saint-Germain as one of the most iconic matches ever.

Along with European football, Sankalp also follows the Indian Super League. When not writing, Sankalp enjoys traveling and watching sports.

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