Gareth Southgate says the door just isn’t closed on Trent Alexander-Arnold making England’s World Cup squad later this yr regardless of being omitted from the matchday squad towards Germany on Monday night time.
The Liverpool defender, who missed final yr’s Euros although harm, has solely made one worldwide look in 2022 and was an unused substitute towards Italy in Friday’s defeat on the San Siro.
Regardless of Kyle Walker popping out of the beginning XI, Alexander-Arnold didn’t even make the bench on Monday with the right-back one among 4 gamers lacking out on the 23-man squad alongside Fikayo Tomori, Jarrod Bowen and James Ward-Prowse.
However Southgate gave a agency ‘no’ when it was steered that the Liverpool star’s World Cup hopes could also be dwindling and insists his newest snub was merely all the way down to Reece James and Kieran Tripper being in higher kind.
Requested about Alexander-Arnold’s omission, Southgate instructed Channel 4: ‘I imply, we’ve received a giant squad with us and we’ve received 4 right-backs who’re tremendous high quality.
‘For the time being Kieran Trippier is enjoying exceptionally nicely and Reece James has been one of many excellent gamers within the Premier League firstly of the season.
‘However Trent is a really, superb footballer and that’s why we picked him within the [initial] squad.’
Southgate named an identical aspect to the group that misplaced to Italy, with John Stones picked in the precise centre-back position and Luke Shaw – who was subbed on in Milan – beginning rather than Bukayo Saka at left wing-back.
‘We’ve received some good choices there [at left-back]. Luke got here into the sport nicely the opposite night time and it’s a good alternative for him tonight. He’s an excellent participant,’ Southgate defined.
‘We thought [Eric Dier] coming again into the aspect did very well and we needed to maintain that momentum going. He hasn’t been with us for some time.
‘John [Stones] is contemporary however Kyle [Walker] has been out for some time so we felt it made sense to freshen that up tonight.
‘We needed to maneuver the bench round a bit tonight. We took a giant group, which has been nice on the coaching pitch.’
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