Trent Alexander-Arnold was handed his long-awaited chance to start for England at right-back against the Republic of Ireland.
The Liverpool star often found it difficult to convince Gareth Southgate to give him regular starting opportunities for the Three Lions, as he competed with Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and Reece James for a spot.
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Southgate eventually deployed Alexander-Arnold in midfield during qualifying for Euro 2024, then started him there in the first two games of the tournament.
That experiment wasn’t ultimately a success – while Alexander-Arnold often inverts into central midfield from right-back for Liverpool, he didn’t have much experience of actually starting games as a midfielder, and he was dropped after England laboured to a 1-1 draw against Denmark.
Southgate stepped down as boss after the Euros, and the right-back spot opened up with Tripper retiring from international football, James injured and Walker omitted from Lee Carsley’s first squad as interim manager.
Trent gets his opportunity
Alexander-Arnold started at right-back in the Three Lions’ opening Nations League game in the Republic of Ireland, stepping into midfield to play a superb pass that set Anthony Gordon away and led to the first goal in a 2-0 away win.
Trent was instructed by Carsley to play how he does for Liverpool – not purely as a right-back, but not purely as a midfielder either, instead starting at right-back, but inverting into midfield when appropriate.
After the match, the interim boss declared himself happy with how it worked, given that it utilised skills that Alexander-Arnold has already displayed at Anfield.
Football – FA Premier League – Liverpool FC v Brentford FC LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – Sunday, August 25, 2024: Liverpool s Trent Alexander-Arnold during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brentford FC at Anfield. Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda LIVERPOOL Anfield MERSEYSIDE ENGLAND PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUK Copyright: xDavidxRawcliffex P2024-08-25-Liverpool_Brentford-28
“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 said.
“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.”
Alexander-Arnold’s display came at a time when his contract at the end of the season, with Liverpool legend Graeme Souness worried that he might have already decided to leave, while pundit Troy Deeney has said that he thinks Arne Slot is currently sending the defender a message.
Fellow right-back Conor Bradley also impressed for Northern Ireland this week, and will have ambitions to succeed Alexander-Arnold at Anfield.
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