Former striker has spoken out about the emotional turmoil he endured after leaving Anfield. The ex- international was jeered by his former fans upon returning as a member of the opposition.

Owen infamously left Merseyside for in August 2004. The Reds academy graduate sat out games for Liverpool to avoid being cup-tied in the , which eventually helped push through his move to Madrid.

Having gone through a similar experience, he expressed empathy for Trent Alexander-Arnold's cold reception from some fans during Sunday's 2-2 draw with . And Owen revealed he and his parents were reduced to tears by the harsh welcome he received back in Liverpool.

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There were murmurs prior to kick-off that some Liverpool fans planned to show their feelings to Alexander-Arnold, who will leave on a free transfer despite receiving offers to stay at Anfield. The player started Sunday's game on the bench before coming on to replace Conor Bradley, at which point a chorus of disapproval could be heard.

"For his own people to boo him, leaves a big lump in your throat," said Owen (via the ). "I remember sitting in the players' lounge after playing against Liverpool for , my parents, myself, all in floods of tears because I've just been booed by my own people.

"I struggled to comprehend it nowadays, so I'm probably the closest person on the planet who knows what it feels to be in Trent's shoes. He'll be mortified. Trent will leave now knowing the second-to-last, possibly his last game, that there were people that booed, and you can't get that out your head.

"Despite what's happened for years of his life, pure adulation, the one thing I remember and forget a lot [about the success], I just think they booed me at the end and it makes you feel absolutely sick for what you did for the club."

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk was asked for his view on the booing incident after the draw against the Gunners. And the Netherlands star admitted he was taken aback by what he and his team-mates heard.

"The [crowd] reaction happened," he said. "He has to deal with it. We as a team have to deal with that as well.

"I wasn't really expecting something, to be honest, but I think maybe he expected this. It's not easy, not at all. We're here for him anyway.

"We are gutted that he's not here with us next year because he's a fantastic player with outstanding, exceptional qualities that we have seen over the last seven years."

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