Southgate has deployed the Reds defender in an advanced role alongside Declan Rice in England’s first two Euro 2024 matches, a tactical decision that has drawn widespread criticism. While Alexander-Arnold was statistically England’s most creative midfielder in their 1-1 draw with Denmark, the 25-year-old’s midfield experiment has come under intense scrutiny, with Roy Keane claiming the Liverpool man is ‘not up to playing in midfield’.
With England already assured of a place in the knockout stages, reports suggest that Alexander-Arnold ‘could now be dropped in favor of Conor Gallagher’ for the final group game against Slovenia on Tuesday.
‘I do feel 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 ‘thrown Trent Alexander-Arnold under the bus’
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 challenging to play in a new position, even when a team is playing well. But when a team is struggling and disjointed, not cohesive, and not getting up the pitch, it becomes extremely difficult.
‘I do feel for him because he is an incredibly talented player.’
Question marks have been raised over Southgate’s tactics during England’s Euro 2024 campaign, with Alexander-Arnold being substituted in both of England’s games against Serbia and Denmark.
Last week, Southgate drew attention for referring to Alexander-Arnold’s positional change as ‘an experiment’ and stating that England ‘didn’t have a natural replacement for Kalvin Phillips’, who was not included in the squad for Germany.
When asked about Alexander Arnold, Southgate said: ‘He’s had some moments where he has delivered what we thought he would.
‘We know it is an experiment, and we don’t have a natural replacement for Kalvin Phillips, but we’re trying some different things, and at the moment, we’re not flowing as we’d like, that’s for sure.’
Alexander-Arnold (left) was statistically England’s most creative player against Denmark
But the Liverpool star has been replaced by Conor Gallagher (centre) in both of England’s opening Euro 2024 games
Southgate had also claimed that Alexander-Arnold’s (pictured) positional change had been an ‘experiment’
While the Liverpool star has played in a more advanced role under Jurgen Klopp last season, Wayne Rooney added that Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton would be better options for Southgate in midfield.
‘Yeah, I’ve been quite critical of Trent,’ the former Manchester United and Everton striker admitted, while speaking with Lineker on BBC’s Euro Extra show.
‘I love Trent as a player, either as a full-back or as a right-back coming inside at the right time, but I think playing him in the middle of the pitch in international football is so different from playing as a full-back.
‘I’ve said it many times, I wouldn’t have played him there. But Southgate has [Kobbie] Mainoo and [Adam] Wharton.
‘For me, I’d play Jude [Bellingham] in the middle next to [Declan] Rice and get width with [Anthony] Gordon and [Phil] Foden.’
Lineker’s comments come after the BBC Match of the Day pundit gave a tongue-in-cheek response to criticism of his assessment of England’s performances at Euro 2024.
Wayne Rooney (pictured) added that Southgate should look to play Kobbie Mainoo or Adam Wharton in midfield instead of Alexander-Arnold
Wharton (left) is yet to make an appearance at Euro 2024, while Mainoo (right) came on during England’s opening game against Serbia
Harry Kane appeared to take a swipe at Gary Lineker by criticizing ‘people with podcasts’ who are trying to ‘promote their own channels’
During BBC’s coverage of Italy’s last-gasp draw against Croatia, Lineker said: ‘If Albania fail to win tonight, England are officially through to the last 16.
‘Because even if they lose tomorrow they will go through as one of the best third-placed teams. I wish people would stop being so critical of them.’
The 63-year-old had branded their display against Denmark as ‘s***’ on The Rest is Football podcast. He had also called on Harry Kane to ‘do a lot better’, with the Bayern Munich star subsequently firing back at the broadcaster during a press conference.
Kane said: ‘I would never want to be disrespectful to any player, especially a player who has worn the shirt and knows what it is like to play for England.
‘But what ex-players or ex-players who are pundits now have got to realize is it is very hard not to listen to it now, especially for some players who are not used to it or some players who are new to the environment.
Lineker described England’s performance against Denmark as ‘s***’ on The Rest is Football podcast
‘I always feel like they have a responsibility. I know they have got to be honest and give their opinion, but also they have a responsibility as an ex-England player that a lot of players look up to and that people do listen to them and people do care what they say.
‘The bottom line is we haven’t won anything as a nation for a long, long time, and a lot of these players were part of that as well, and they know how tough it is, so it is not digging anyone out.
‘It is just the reality that they do know it is tough to play in these major tournaments and tough to play for England.
‘I would never disrespect any ex-player. All I would say is remember what it is like to wear the shirt, and that their words are listened to. Some of the lads, I don’t know how many, but we do hear it.’