England coach Gareth Southgate mentioned he plans to offer Trent Alexander-Arnold extra alternatives in midfield after the Liverpool proper again starred within the function throughout Friday’s 4-0 victory over Malta of their Euro 2024 qualifier.
Alexander-Arnold thrived in a hybrid midfield function for Liverpool within the last months of the 2022-23 season and was at his inventive finest in opposition to Malta in his first worldwide begin for a yr, scoring a long-range aim and taking part in an element in two others.
The 24-year-old has struggled to carry down a beginning place below Southgate and earned solely his nineteenth cap since his debut in 2018, with the England coach preferring Reece James, Kyle Walker or Kieran Trippier at full again.
It was his first foray in a complicated function for England since he was unsuccessfully used as a playmaker in opposition to Andorra in 2021. But after the very good show on Friday, Southgate mentioned he needs to faucet into Alexander-Arnold’s creativity.
“I’ve got no questions in my head he can do it,” Southgate mentioned. “It’s just learning some nuances of the role, without the ball especially, but he’s very keen.
“We talked about it four weeks ago on the phone and he’s excited about it. He showed exactly what we think he could be capable of and he gives us something different to our other midfielders.
“Inevitably, a lot of what happens is going to be dependent on his club. The fact he’s been playing partly in there with the ball, albeit a bit deeper, has helped his transition.”
Alexander-Arnold regarded the half, carrying the quantity 10 shirt, and mentioned he hoped it could assist him nail down an everyday spot in Southgate’s staff.
“I haven’t played it too much, but it feels comfortable,” he mentioned. “It feels natural. It’s somewhere I can see myself playing. I want to make sure I am regularly on the team sheet, and that was a good foundation to build on.
“The role I’ve been playing with club football, it’s opened a new avenue for me. It’s still early doors, it’s only one match, but it’s important that when I get the opportunity, I take it.”
