Paul Joyce: Trent Alexander-Arnold set for Liverpool return after latest update

Trent Alexander-Arnold On Track for Anfield Reunion

Liverpool supporters are already circling November 4 on the calendar. According to Paul Joyce of The Times, Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to recover from his hamstring injury in time to face his former club at Anfield in the Champions League. It is a storyline that writes itself, but there is far more nuance beneath the headlines.

Injury Recovery Ahead of Schedule

The right-back’s move to Real Madrid was always going to generate scrutiny. Leaving Liverpool on a free transfer in the summer before signing on a deal that brought in £10 million in compensation was never going to be universally accepted on Merseyside. His early months in Spain have been far from smooth.

A pulled hamstring in the opening minutes against Marseille halted momentum before it even began. Limited opportunities under Xabi Alonso due to competition from Dani Carvajal had already reduced his game time. His absence from England selection under Thomas Tuchel was another reminder of the step backwards he has temporarily taken.

Photo: IMAGO

Yet his recovery is progressing rapidly, with Joyce reporting that “Trent Alexander-Arnold set to return from injury in time to face Liverpool.” Real Madrid’s calendar offers little margin for error, with Barcelona on October 26 seen as the likely return point.

Anfield Reception Looming

Liverpool fans are not known for half-measures and this reunion will test emotional boundaries on both sides. Joyce adds that “He is in line for a hostile return to his boyhood club, having turned down a new contract in order to experience a fresh challenge in his career.”

There will be applause from some and anger from others. Unlike other departures, this one came without a trophy lift or a farewell lap of honour. It came at a time when Liverpool had just won the Premier League under Arne Slot and were building a team around youth and stability.

How Real Madrid Plan to Use Him

The key question is not whether he will play but how. If he starts, Alonso will be banking on emotional control. If he comes off the bench, the atmosphere may be even more volatile. His recovery from injury may be physical, but the psychological challenge is just beginning.

What It Means for Liverpool

Slot’s Liverpool have evolved quickly without him. The tactical flexibility and set-piece threat he once provided is now shared across multiple roles. Facing him may offer Liverpool motivation rather than disruption.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

Bring it on. If Trent walks out at Anfield in white, he knows exactly what is coming. He grew up in that stadium, he knows the songs, he knows what a European night feels like when the crowd smells blood. Some supporters will clap him, but many will let him know what they think.

Turning down a new deal is one thing, walking into Anfield in a Real Madrid shirt is another. There is no hiding place. Yet deep down, even the most annoyed fan might admit there is something poetic about it. One of our own, forged in Kirkby, facing us in Europe.

Liverpool under Arne Slot are not sentimental. They are ruthless. That backline will not treat him like a mate. The Kop will not treat him like a legend. If anything, it will fire up the players and the crowd even more.

If Trent thinks he is ready for this kind of welcome, fair play. But he better hope that hamstring is fully healed, because he will be doing a lot of running.