Sky Sports pundit Matthew Upson does not currently think Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold will be included in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the upcoming World Cup.
Despite all his success at Anfield in a Red shirt, the 24-year-old has struggled to make an impression on the international stage.
At the 2018 World Cup, the right-back played just 79 minutes of football as England crashed out to Croatia in the semi-finals of the competition.
Unlikely to feature much anyway, Alexander-Arnold missed Euro 2020 after sustaining a hamstring injury in the build-up to the tournament.
More recently, despite being selected to travel with the team, the Liverpool man was omitted from half of England’s matchday squads during their latest UEFA Nations League campaign.
Combined with inconsistent club form thus far this season, Upson thinks Southgate will opt against including the full-back in his World Cup squad later this month.
As per Sky Sports, the pundit claimed: “I think at the moment, I don’t think he is potentially going to go.
“And again, it depends on whether Reece James goes, it depends on whether Kyle Walker goes.
“But he wasn’t a player that Gareth Southgate was particularly hot on when he was at peak form.”
Sky pundit doesn’t think Trent will go to the World Cup
Even if certain pundits argue against Alexander-Arnold’s defensive abilities, for which they are often biased and ill-judged, Southgate cannot continue to claim he selects players based on form.
The likes of Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and even Jordan Henderson have at times been poor this season, but it was never disputed as to whether they would be going to the World Cup this winter.
Therefore, taking this biased outlook aside, the Liverpool defender is categorically one of the most naturally talented players Southgate could decide to pick for his squad.
No other England player can pass the ball to the same ability as the 24-year-old can, and his attacking threat as a full-back is unparalleled by any alternative player expected to be included in the squad.
If Southgate was correct with his assessment of Alexander-Arnold’s defensive abilities, his back-five system, which utilises three centre-backs, would relieve the defensive stress on the right wing-back – allowing him to flourish as an attacking outlet.
Thus, whilst his omission wouldn’t come as a major shock, it would be an absolute travesty to not see the Liverpool youngster go on to fulfil his potential at the international level – all due to one manager’s opinion.
If the starting XI was based on talent alone, he would be one of the first names on the team sheet, so hopefully Southgate makes the right decision in the upcoming weeks.
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