Andy Robertson: Trent Alexander-Arnold speculation will not distract Liverpool | OneFootball

Liverpool’s Andy Robertson insists the players have not been affected by the increasing speculation surrounding Trent Alexander-Arnold and remain focused on winning another Premier League title.

Wednesday’s win over Everton re-established their 12-point lead over Arsenal with eight matches to go.

But alongside the title race there is the long-running saga of Alexander-Arnold being linked to Real Madrid, which intensified last week, in addition to the expiring contracts of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

But having recovered from back-to-back defeats, in cup competitions, for the first time this season prior to the international break, Robertson believes the squad displayed their professionalism with a hard-fought win in the Merseyside derby.

At the end of that game Alexander-Arnold, currently sidelined by an ankle injury, made a point of congratulating every team-mate as they came off the pitch at the final whistle with the Liverpool-born academy graduate enjoying the win as much as anyone.

Robertson said: “Trent’s head is not great because he’s injured. He hates being injured. None of us like being injured but it hurts Trent a little bit more. That’s all he is focused on.

“It is impossible for me to say we have not seen all the noise and everyone commenting on it.

“But for us our focus is for him to get back fit and healthy. Once he does that, what will happen, will happen. No one knows that yet.

“People can talk and speculate but for us we want Trent back very soon.”

Everton could do their neighbours a favour by taking points off Arsenal in Saturday’s early kick-off at Goodison Park.

Even if the Gunners do win the the gap will still be nine points before Liverpool go to Fulham on Sunday.

But Robertson said the players had not allowed themselves to get comfortable with the cushion they have at the top.

“We just look to the next game. You guys talk about the 12 points but we talk about the next three points,” said the Scotland captain, one of a number of players who won the title in 2020 but who also twice narrowly lost out to Manchester City.

“Every game becomes bigger for us. We have eight games left. Every time we pick up three points brings us closer to where we want to be.

“But we are still a long way off that. It was good to be back to winning ways and we go again Sunday which will be a really tough game.

“They (fans) can get carried away, we are allowing them to get carried away and we take great pleasure in that.

“But we have to stay focused. We are the players, we have a job to do. Keep pushing and keep winning games to get us over the line.

“If the time comes we will be sure to enjoy it, but we are not thinking that far ahead.”