Gareth Southgate’s plan to make use of Trent Alexander-Arnold as a midfielder on the Euros seems to be over, as early group information for England vs. Slovakia has leaked.
Alexander-Arnold began England’s first two group video games of this summer time’s match however, having been substituted in each, he was then dropped for the third.
That got here with Southgate admitting his midfield setup had been an “experiment,” although as he introduced Conor Gallagher off at half-time within the 0-0 draw with Slovenia, it appears he nonetheless has no resolution.
• READ: Trent was by no means England’s downside – however we might have instructed Southgate that
These hoping Alexander-Arnold could be restored for the last-16 conflict with Slovakia look set to be disillusioned, nonetheless.
As a substitute, Man United teenager Kobbie Mainoo is anticipated to begin alongside Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham, in response to the Telegraph‘s Matt Legislation.
Mainoo got here off the bench to switch Gallagher on Tuesday evening and is now set to be given the nod for the 5pm kickoff on Sunday.
This is able to point out that Alexander-Arnold has dropped additional down the pecking order in midfield, with the Liverpool defender now extra more likely to be thought of for his pure place.
He changed Kieran Trippier for the closing phases of the draw with Slovenia and took up the right-back position, as Southgate shifted Kyle Walker to left-back.
Trippier is “managing a slight calf concern,” studies Legislation, which noticed him coaching separate to the group in Thursday’s session.
If the Newcastle full-back does miss out, there’s then an opportunity that the England supervisor turns to Alexander-Arnold to begin at right-back – however the indicators are that he has made a U-turn on using him as a midfielder.
Talking after the 1-1 draw with Denmark earlier within the group stage, Southgate assessed the performances of his stand-in No. 8.
“Look, he’s had some moments the place he’s delivered what we thought he would,” he mentioned of Alexander-Arnold.
“We all know it’s an experiment, and we all know that we don’t have a pure substitute for a Kalvin Phillips, however we’re attempting some various things and for the time being, we’re not flowing as we’d like, that’s for certain.”
There’s a rising unrest amongst England followers over their performances up to now on the Euros, which noticed ugly scenes as drinks have been thrown on the supervisor from the stands after the goalless draw with Slovenia.
His therapy of Alexander-Arnold remains to be weird, with a reliance on Walker and Trippier seeing him unable to harness the distinctive qualities of among the best right-backs in world soccer.
