Robbie Fowler has urged Gareth Southgate to discover a place for Trent Alexander-Arnold in England’s beginning line-up for his or her Euro 2024 conflict towards Slovakia.
The Three Lions topped their group regardless of three drab performances, incomes the proper to face Francesco Calzona’s facet right this moment for the prize of a quarter-final conflict towards Switzerland subsequent Saturday.
Writing within the print version of the Sunday Mirror (30 June, web page 77), the person affectionately often known as ‘God’ insisted that the Reds’ vice-captain wants to start out in order that the Euro 2020 runners-up may have a better menace from vast positions.
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Fowler said: “Trent Alexander-Arnold in central midfield didn’t work, and now the Liverpool full-back seems to be paying an unfair worth for the experiment that failed. The time for attempting main experiments and taking main dangers isn’t throughout a significant match. That’s what the friendlies are for.
“England have been unable to entry the flanks as a result of Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka each instinctively come inside to allow them to get onto their strongest foot.
“If Southgate goes to persevere with that formation, then he has to get Alexander-Arnold within the crew to supply pure width and an attacking menace. No, Trent isn’t nearly as good as Kyle Walker defensively, however the high quality of crosses and his passes alone are value a spot in his crew.”
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Trent gave the impression to be the autumn man for England’s meek group stage performances, having been rounded on by varied pundits after his shows in midfield within the first couple of video games earlier than Southgate dropped him in favour of Conor Gallagher.
That was regardless of the 25-year-old being his crew’s most inventive outlet within the 1-1 draw towards Denmark, throughout which he was the primary Three Lions participant to be substituted simply 10 minutes into the second half.
Given how flat England seemed through the group part, it appears baffling {that a} participant of the Liverpool star’s qualities can be shunted apart. If meaning discovering a spot for him and Walker on the identical crew, so be it.
Trent in midfield mightn’t have labored as desired, however he may very well be restored to right-back because the Manchester Metropolis defender switches to the opposite flank, the place Luke Shaw’s ongoing absence and the harm doubts over Kieran Trippier have left Southgate scrambling for alternate options.
As we’ve seen at Anfield, Joe Gomez is a wonderfully viable left-back contender, however reviews over the weekend have instructed that the 27-year-old bizarrely isn’t in rivalry to start out in that position for his nation.
Even when Walker appears sure to be included, there’s nonetheless room for one Liverpool participant to fill both of the opposite full-back positions. With Southgate on the helm, although, we wouldn’t be in the slightest degree stunned if England’s beginning line-up this night had no LFC illustration.
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