'I do wonder at what point the contract situation will shift'

New York Times chief football correspondent Rory Smith agrees with Liverpool head coach Arne Slot that Trent Alexander-Arnold's poor performance against Manchester United was nothing to do with the Real Madrid transfer rumours.

"Correlation isn't causation," said Smith on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club. "I would be very surprised if the first time Alexander-Arnold had heard about Real Madrid's interest in signing him was last week. That would suggest he is not engaging with the world as he should be.

"I can understand why people have put it all together because he didn't play well on Sunday and there had been all the talk of Real's enquiry and it being rejected. But I don't think there is any reason why that would have affected him more against United than during the rest of the season.

"His contract has not just become unsigned. It has been dragging on so it seems too convenient to single out that game.

"But I do think there could become a time where it will become a problem for Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk. It's very obvious that it is not good planning from Liverpool that three of their best players are out of contract at one time - and because they are all linked.

"Salah is the highest earner, so if you agree a contract at X amount, that could mean Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold ask for Y and Z.

"I do wonder at what point the situation will shift. So far, all of the emphasis has been on the club, but it has to be handled carefully."

Watch the full episode of Monday Night Club on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds