Xabi Alonso left with 'bitter taste' after Liverpool loss as he makes Trent Alexander-Arnold claim

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We needed his quality and we needed his threat from the wing.READ MORE: Arne Slot lifts lid on Liverpool gameplan that saw them target two Real Madrid superstarsREAD MORE: Arne Slot hails Conor Bradley and rejects Trent Alexander-Arnold suggestion after Liverpool win“(His reception) could be expected. He was ready for that, no problem.”Alexis Mac Allister scored the only goal shortly after the hour when heading home a Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick after Jude Bellingham was booked for a foul on Ryan Gravenberch.And Alonso said: “At half-time we said we needed to be in the game to have an opportunity but then we conceded a lot of fouls and Thibaut Courtois wasn’t able to save that header from the set-piece.

Thibaut, though, was fantastic.“But we have to understand we can’t commit so many fouls as the game could get away from us like it did today.”Asked if he felt Real had lacked intensity and energy up against a vibrant Liverpool, Alonso said: “I don’t have those feelings. We competed well, Szoboszlai had an opportunity in the first half and Thibaut made a great save but we played at a high rhythm.“What we were lacking today was perhaps to hurt them in the final third and be a real threat.“In the second half it was just about the small details that fell in their favour.”Alonso added: “It was a bit difficult for us today.

In our one-on-ones we weren’t able to cause problems.“We leave with a bitter taste in the mouth but we have to analyse what we did today. We have to learn from these defeats.”