Credit goes to Lewis Steele of The Daily Mail for reporting that Trent Alexander Arnold could feature at Anfield next week when Real Madrid visit. The news arrives during a turbulent spell for Liverpool, who have been battling form issues and now face a run of taxing fixtures without summer signing Jeremie Frimpong.

Steele noted that “Trent Alexander-Arnold is in line to feature in Real Madrid’s game at Anfield on Tuesday after it emerged first-choice Real right back Dani Carvajal will be on the sidelines for a significant period.” For supporters, the potential return of a homegrown star to his old stage is compelling drama.

Trent’s challenge in Madrid

Alexander Arnold’s move to Spain has been mixed so far. The report states that he “has had a tricky time since joining the Madrid club” and was only “an unused substitute in Real’s 2-1 win over Barcelona.” Adapting to a new tactical culture and expectation curve is rarely linear, and Trent has faced scrutiny from both Spanish and English audiences.

A senior recruitment figure at a Premier League club observed to us privately, speaking hypothetically about elite full backs moving abroad: “The jump is not only tactical, it is emotional and cultural. Some players need months to reset their rhythm, especially when they were the heartbeat of a club before.” That sentiment fits the Trent narrative.

Reception at Anfield set to be fascinating

The emotional element of his return carries intrigue. Steele wrote, “He was booed in the past by the Anfield crowd but the anger has died down now.” Time heals in football, particularly when a player has given so much to a club’s modern identity and trophy cabinet. There is a suggestion many fans would embrace him again, with Steele adding that “many Liverpool fans would take him back in a heartbeat given how much he is missed on the pitch at present.”

One Liverpool insider described the mood: “Everyone knows what Trent built here, his passing range, his bravery, his identity in the club’s modern era. Fans respect legacy. It will feel emotional, and football emotions are complicated.”

Right back situation puts spotlight on Trent

Liverpool are navigating a shortage on the right. With Frimpong sidelined and Conor Bradley struggling, the timing of Trent’s visit only amplifies discussion. This is not a transfer window moment, but it feels symbolic. Liverpool’s identity has long been tied to adventurous full backs. For many, seeing Trent step onto the Anfield turf again will only sharpen nostalgia and debate.

Our View, Anfield Index Analysis

Trent coming back to Anfield as an opponent feels like football theatre. Liverpool supporters will watch closely, not just out of curiosity, but reflection. He was a generational academy product, a Scouse talent who reset what a right back could be in a red shirt. The idea of him walking out at Anfield in white is unusual.

Liverpool miss that creativity from deep, that diagonality, that unpredictability. Frimpong was signed to give vertical thrust and attacking chaos. Trent gave orchestration and rhythm. They are stylistically different, yet supporters will compare them purely because both represent evolution at right back.

If Trent plays at Anfield, the reception will be interesting. Trent was booed before he left for Madrid, but now after months how will the Anfield faithful react to seeing him in the white of Real?