Gary Lineker says Liverpool have a 25-year-old player who is ‘truly extraordinary’

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Having blown Newcastle United away on Monday evening, Liverpool players are coming in for all sorts of praise this week.

Plenty of that has been reserved for Mohamed Salah, who was exceptional against the Magpies. Curtis Jones was fantastic too, and has also been hailed following the win.

But another reaping the rewards of an excellent night’s work is Trent Alexander-Arnold. Having been labelled a genius by former Liverpool striker Dean Saunders, Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have now lavished their own set of superlatives on Trent.

Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker and Shearer assessed the possibility of Trent starting in midfield for England.

“It’s certainly a viable option,” pondered Lineker. “His passing range is truly extraordinary. It really is. You know I have been harping on about the fact I think he is a midfield player for six years now! But he is playing right back at the moment and drifting in midfield a lot and his passing range is remarkable.”

“It’s outrageous,” agreed Shearer. “You know when you just said that, Trent, Bellingham and Rice, it gets you a bit excited thinking those three in the middle for England. That is really, really exciting that.”

Trent backed for England role

Given how Gareth Southgate has recently been using Alexander-Arnold, you could see this happening for this summer’s Euros.

On paper, a midfield three of Rice/Bellingham/Trent is indeed incredibly exciting for England.

Jurgen Klopp might not be the biggest fan of it, as it would continue to solidify the idea that Liverpool’s right-back should in fact be a midfielder.

But for the Three Lions, who else is coming into that midfield and doing what Trent can?

There is one man who might feel as though he has a say in it though, and he’s another who came through the academy at Anfield – Curtis Jones.

Jones has been fantastic in fits and starts this season. But against Newcastle he took things to another level.

Following on from a two-goal showing against West Ham in December, perhaps Curtis is now transforming into a goal-scoring midfielder before our very eyes.

If he can keep this kind of form up until March, he’ll surely be under consideration for the next England squad. No one can top the ‘extraordinary’ passing range of Alexander-Arnold, but as a natural midfielder, maybe Jones will feel he can pip his mate to a starting berth for Southgate.