Lineker blasts Southgate for ‘leaving Alexander-Arnold out to dry’
Gary Lineker has taken aim at Gareth Southgate for ‘hanging Trent Alexander-Arnold out to dry’, with the BBC Match of the Day host offering his sympathies to the Liverpool star over his ‘experiment’ in midfield.
Southgate has opted to deploy the Reds defender in an advanced position alongside Declan Rice in both of England’s opening two Euro 2024 matches – a tactical ploy that has attracted much criticism.
While Alexander-Arnold was statistically England’s most creative midfielder during their 1-1 draw against Denmark, the 25-year-old’s midfield experiment has drawn much scrutiny, with Roy Keane claiming the Liverpool defender is ‘not up to playing in midfield’.
While the Three Lions have already qualified for the knockout stages, reports from The Athletic claim that Alexander-Arnold ‘could now be dropped for Conor Gallagher’ for England’s final group-stage clash against Slovenia on Tuesday.
‘I do feel a bit for Trent Alexander-Arnold,’ the BBC Match of the Day pundit said on BBC’s Euros Extra show on Monday.
Gary Lineker (pictured) has claimed Gareth Southgate has ‘hung Trent Alexander-Arnold out to dry’
The England boss (left) has opted to play the Liverpool star (right) in midfield during England’s opening Euro 2024 fixtures
Southgate (centre) is set to drop Alexander-Arnold for Conor Gallagher during Tuesday night’s game vs Slovenia
‘It’s very hard to play in a new position even when a team’s playing well.
‘But when a team’s struggling and a team’s disjointed and not together and not getting up the pitch it becomes very difficult.
‘I do feel for him because he’s an unbelievably talented player.’
Question marks have been raised over Southgate’s tactics so far during their Euro 2024 campaign, with Alexander-Arnold being substituted in both of England’s games against Serbia and Denmark.
While the Liverpool star has played in a more advanced role under Jurgen Klopp over the past season, Wayne Rooney added that Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton would be better options to complete Southgate’s midfield three.
‘Yeah, I’ve been quite critical of Trent,’ the former Man United and Everton striker admitted.
Alexander-Arnold (left) was statistically England’s most creative defender against Denmark
But the Liverpool star has been replaced by Conor Gallagher (centre) in both of England’s opening Euro 2024 games
‘I love Trent as a player as a full-back or as a right-back coming in at the right time but I think to play him in the middle of the pitch in international football, it’s so different to playing as a full-back.
‘I’ve said it many times, I wouldn’t have played him there. But he’s [Southgate] got [Kobbie] Mainoo, he’s got [Adam] Wharton.
‘For me, I play Jude [Bellingham] in the middle next to [Declan] Rice and you get your width with [Anthony] Gordon and [Phil] Foden.’
More to follow…
