Rob Green believes Liverpool vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold had a successful Euro 2024 qualifier despite not playing for England
According to pundit Rob Green, Liverpool’s standout player, Trent Alexander-Arnold, has had a successful international break, even though he didn’t feature in any matches for the England national team.
After winning five consecutive games, the Three Lions’ perfect record in the European Championship qualifying stage was ended by Ukraine. The match saw Ukraine’s Oleksandr Zinchenko score first, followed by England’s Kyle Walker netting his debut international goal.
However, Gareth Southgate’s side struggled to penetrate Ukraine’s resolute defence, with Harry Kane having to drop deeper to set up Walker’s goal. The manager selected a midfield trio of Jordan Henderson, Declan Rice, and Jude Bellingham.
Surprisingly, Alexander-Arnold could have been a key player in unlocking the opposition’s defence, but he was sidelined due to injury, despite initially being named in the squad as a midfielder.
However, the former Three Lions goalkeeper Green had a rather different opinion, as he believes that the Liverpool vice-captain had a successful international outing despite not even kicking a ball for his side against Ukraine or in the 3-1 win against Scotland. While talking to the Football Daily (h/t the Liverpool Echo), the pundit said:
“The big takeaway from it, the way the game panned out was the one true winner of the game was Trent Alexander-Arnold. And playing in that midfield role with the quarterback as we called him and it ended up with Harry Kane dropping into that role to play that ball. He would have added something different into that dimension in midfield if selected. And I think that he’s the one true winner from it last night.”
Southgate’s choice to deploy Alexander-Arnold in midfield during the recent games was a smart strategic move, and the Liverpool player could emerge as the linchpin for the England national team heading into 2024.
The 24-year-old right-back excelled in the midfield position alongside Bellingham and Rice, and this combination could potentially propel the Three Lions to success in the upcoming European Championships. He has already excelled in a similar role for Liverpool this season and carries the added responsibility of being the club’s vice-captain.
Ensuring the Reds defender’s fitness will be crucial for England’s chances next year, and he is likely determined to give his all for his country in Germany. Hopefully, Gareth Southgate, for his team’s sake, realises the burst of creativity TAA provides, no matter where he is played. Green is right. The drab draw against Ukraine should show England the importance of our 24-year-old superstar.
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Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp’s side will be waiting to have their key player in the starting XI in their next Premier League game against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Molineux Stadium on Saturday. It is perhaps a good thing for the Reds that TAA wasn’t risked at all this month by England.
