Arne Slot says Liverpool contract drama 'helpful' as Alexander-Arnold fears quashed

Liverpool's contract saga is useful rather than a distraction, according to Arne Slot. The Reds are set to face arch-rivals Manchester United on Sunday in their ongoing quest for the Premier League title.

However, the week was overshadowed by reports of Real Madrid's interest in signing Trent Alexander-Arnold this month. The futures of star players Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, whose contracts expire this summer, have been as much a topic of discussion as Liverpool's impressive season.

Slot, however, believes the speculation surrounding the trio is helping to keep the hype around his players' performances at bay.

He said: “Maybe it's even useful now, you ask me. Because if it's just about our performance, then maybe every week I have to have a meeting to tell the players that it's not perfect yet and we need to do better and now maybe it's also about different things [in the press].

“Not everyone tells them how great they are, so sometimes that can help too. But for me it doesn't distract at all, I think we get enough credit for the way we play and here, in the building we don't even talk about that. [speculation]. Maybe in the building we do it, but me with the players we don't talk about these situations. »

Alexander-Arnold, 26, will face the Anfield crowd tomorrow for the first time since Real's decision was made public, but Slot is not expecting any negative reaction from fans.

He said: “I don't think I need to tell our fans how to react because they have always been very supportive and supported their team and their players for so many years. So I don't think they need that I tell them how to react and I trust them completely that they will react in the right way.”

Slot is also not worried about Alexander-Arnold's focus ahead of the massive showdown at Anfield. He added: “I'm convinced he plays for us on Sunday and I think it's so difficult in football to talk about what happens in a month or six months.

“So in football it's a very difficult question to answer because there's hardly any long term in football, especially not for a manager, so you only focus on the short term. The only One thing I know is that he is fully focused and ready to play for us on Sunday and while he is here.