Gareth Southgate hints at long-term midfield role for Trent Alexander-Arnold
England manager Gareth Southgate has revealed he would happily use Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield again following his excellent display against Malta.
Although a midfielder in his youth, Alexander-Arnold has made his name in professional football as a right-back. But he was surprisingly handed the number 10 shirt for last week’s Euro 2024 qualifier.
The role made use of the 24-year-old’s ability on the ball and was deemed a success – he even scored a stunning goal as the Three Lions cruised to a 4-0 victory.
Southgate has issued a reminder that utilising Alexander-Arnold in that way again will depend on the particular opponent and the nature of the game, but remains happy to leave it open as an option.
"I won't hesitate to play him there again," the England boss explained.
"Of course, we should always be mindful of the level of the opponent but the quality of the play is the quality of the play and lesser-quality players couldn’t have produced that even against a lower opponent. He did everything we hoped he would do and maybe a little bit more in the pressing and the intensity and the adaptation. We were very happy with him."
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Despite being revered for his performances for Liverpool over the last few years, Alexander-Arnold has struggled to establish himself as a regular at international level. In fact, he has appeared in only 19 of almost 70 England games since his senior debut in 2018.
Right-back is arguably England’s strongest single position in terms of depth, while Alexander-Arnold’s perceived defensive frailties have often seen others get the nod ahead of him.
In the wake of the Malta game, the player himself even suggested a more permanent midfield role could be a way for him to get into the team more consistently.
"It is certainly an avenue, one that is clearly being explored and is something the manager wants to explore and I want to explore. It is one that is exciting for the future, and who knows?" Alexander-Arnold said.
"For me, I want to make sure I am playing as many England games as possible and that has always been the aim, causing headaches for the manager. I think this is a potential route we can go down that will help me get into the team."
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