Andy Robertson slams “unfair stigma” on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s defending amid long-standing narrative
Andy Robertson believes there is an unfair stigma around former Liverpool teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold's defending.
Alexander-Arnold has often been scrutinised for his defensive work during his career to date, with the 27-year-old overlooked by several England managers.
The Real Madrid right-back was a notable exclusion from the 2026 World Cup squad under Thomas Tuchel, but has returned to the camp this month.
Robertson and Alexander-Arnold spent eight seasons as teammates at Anfield, with the full-back pair influential in Liverpool's successes under Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot.
The duo won two Premier League titles and the Champions League among their honours, producing unprecedented attacking numbers. Despite that, Alexander-Arnold has faced a spotlight on his defending.
Robertson believes the defender has been unfairly labelled and praised Alexander-Arnold for his defensive displays against elite opponents.
"I think it was just part of football, sometimes people just focus on what we can't do. You can only talk so highly of people going 'he's amazing at this and that' and then sometimes the conversation turns.
"In Trent's best games, he was an unbelievable one-versus-one defender. Like I've seen him lock up [Kylian] Mbappe for PSG. In the Champions League finals he was unbelievable," Robertson told Sky Sports' Stick to Football.
"Trent is a very, very good defender. At times, maybe he makes mistakes. We all make mistakes. It's as if he had this stigma around him that he can't defend from a very early age and it's as if he can't shift it.
Robertson on Trent: Stop the myth he can’t defend — Liverpool roles and England bias shape criticism
Robertson was asked whether Alexander-Arnold's more languid style contributed to his critics, in contrast to the former's more tenacious work.
The Scotland captain said different tactical demands and Alexander-Arnold's nationality were both factors in how the pair were judged.
"The way in which we defended was very different. Sadio [Mane] helped me out so I knew I could be a bit more aggressive and, if I missed, hopefully Sadio's going to be there.
"The way we played we kind of let Mo [Salah] not to [defend] because we didn't want Mo near our box. A lot of times Trent was maybe waiting on Hendo [Jordan Henderson] to come over, so that's where sometimes I felt a bit sorry for him.
"It's very different when you're English to another nationality. I always said to Trent, I'll never get as high praise as you but I'll never get as much criticism."
