Liverpool defender Alexander-Arnold returns to Gareth Southgate’s provisional England squad after missing out on the recent international break outing.
Alexander-Arnold displays an outstanding performance this season and critics were lunch against Southgate and his selection process after he was dropped.
Despite the England coach having four right back now, Southgate insists that Alexander-Arnold call does not reliant on the rest.
“Everyone sees these as four right-backs but there’s a lot more to all of those players. We need versatility, we need competition for places and we are still unclear on certain injuries. Trent is very much in contention,” Southgate said.
Southgate claims that many got it wrong to think he does not recognize the Liverpool defender. He reveals that he has been in touch with the player than any other.
“People think I don’t think Trent is a good footballer,” the England boss claimed.
“That just isn’t the case. He has indirectly come in for some criticism and I felt the need to communicate more with him than anyone else over the past couple of months. But I think his performances have been very good,” he added.
“I’m a little bit surprised by some of the things that have been written because people just don’t know those communications that have gone on. But that is credit to Trent that he has kept that to himself.
“He is a very good footballer. That has never been in any doubt, and he’s with us next week and we go from there,” he explained.
Southgate suggests that Alexander-Arnold could play in the midfield pointing to the versatility of both him and James.
“He’s a fantastic passer of the ball and he has great passing vision. So he’s a playmaker from right-back, that’s kind of what he is. So why wouldn’t that lend itself at some point of his career to being in midfield?”