Liverpool star Alexander-Arnold rebuilds England reputation after Southgate error

Trent Alexander-Arnold has emerged from the first game of the UEFA Nations League window as England’s first-choice right back. 

It took the Liverpool man four years to get another chance to start a game for his country in his best position. 

Read more: Gareth Southgate HUNG Trent Alexander-Arnold out to dry

With Kieran Trippier retired from the international game, Kyle Walker a 34-year-old fading force and Reece James dealing with another injury, suddenly it feels that the Three Lions’ much-vaunted depth in the right-back position has vanished overnight, belatedly leaving Trent in possession of the shirt. 

There’s no question he’s earned it but it felt like it would take a clearout of Walker and Trippier before Trent finally got his opportunity to nail down his place in the team. 

It’s happened in the new, albeit temporary, Lee Carsley era, with the former Ireland international tapping into Alexander-Arnold’s best characteristics. 

Carsley getting a tune out of Trent

England have only played once under Carsley, against a very poor Ireland side, but it feels like he’s getting a tune out of some of this England contingent more than his predecessor Gareth Southgate could. 

Of that cohort, Alexander-Arnold is the most pronounced. 

The lifelong Red was handed the No.8 shirt for Euro 2024 with Southgate and his coaching staff preferring Alexander-Arnold as their starting central midfielder in the absence of any other outstanding candidates. 

He was of course hung out to dry by Southgate, who picked him twice, substituted him twice and dropped him altogether by the time the third group stage match rolled around. 

Alexander-Arnold was given a role in the team but had to adjust at breakneck speed with scrutiny on his every move from the get-go. 

Read more: Trent produces RIDICULOUS moment in England win

Southgate’s patience ran out however, with Alexander-Arnold picking up the flak for England’s shaky group-stage performances despite plenty of other so-called stars performing much worse. 

That must have been a chastening experience for the Champions League winner, who has had a summer holiday to clear his head and found his form immediately under Arne Slot at club level. 

While there may be the odd hiccup - not to mention that long-running contract saga - Trent has largely got back to doing what he does best. 

He’s the pre-eminent English right back of his time and has played a key role in aiding Slot’s rise to the summit of the Premier League table. 

And we see in Carsley’s England the same traits that were apparent in the latter stages of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool reign and the early days of Slot. 

Trent functions as an orthodox right back but selects his moments carefully to step in field to devastating effect. 

He can produce numerical superiority for his team in midfield or else wreak havoc with that wand of a right foot. 

That’s exactly what he did at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday as England enjoyed a ridiculously easy 2-0 win against Heimer Hallgrimsson’s Ireland in Carsley’s first game in charge. 

Trent delivers expertly

He delivered a couple of outstanding quarter-back moments for Anthony Gordon’s runs in the first half which allowed England to ease into their early lead. 

Trent kept the width when he had to, with his heatmaps showing how judicious he was in his movements inside, and one sumptuous right-wing cross should have produced a goal off the head of Harry Kane. 

He wasn’t a midfielder, nor will he be under Carsley, but he will be asked to do what he is good at. The upshot? Trent was named player of the match.

“That’s one of the things we try with all of the players, getting the best out of them and putting them into familiar positions that they’re playing at their clubs,” Carsley told the media afterwards. 

Trent plays similar to at Liverpool

“If you see Trent playing for Liverpool this season, it’s very similar to the way we asked him to play, in terms of when we built, he often went central, with Kobbie Mainoo and Declan Rice a little bit higher or wider. 

“I think what we’ve noticed, especially within the pathway of players we’ve got, is that full-backs now are almost like midfield players, they’ve got all the attributes of midfielders and Trent definitely fits into that bracket. 

“I thought he was very good, I thought he got a little bit tired at the end but I thought it was a positive performance.”

It now appears that the No.2 shirt is FINALLY Trent’s to lose and England fans will be treated to the same kind of brilliance that Liverpool supporters have been enjoying all these years.  

The restoration of Alexander-Arnold’s England reputation following Southgate’s Euro 2024 cock-up began with Carsley but it was Trent who proved what he could do.