Trent Alexander-Arnold is poised to start at left-back for England in their crucial Nations League match against Finland.
The Three Lions face mounting pressure to recover after a humiliating defeat to Greece earlier this week, leaving interim head coach Lee Carsley’s future uncertain.
Alexander-Arnold has started all three of Carsley’s matches in charge, impressing in his usual role.
However, following his deployment as a midfielder during Euro 2024, he is now set to be shifted into yet another position for Sunday’s encounter.
According to BBC Sport, Alexander-Arnold will be transitioned to left-back in a revamped lineup.
He will be joined by captain Harry Kane, Jack Grealish, and Marc Guehi, who are all expected to return to the starting XI in Helsinki.
Notably, Alexander-Arnold has been a standout performer for England since their devastating Euro 2024 final loss, and his appearance against Greece marked the first time in his career that he has started three consecutive matches for his country.
The ongoing debate about how best to utilise Alexander-Arnold has been a hot topic among England fans and pundits.
The impressive form and longevity of Kyle Walker have limited Alexander-Arnold’s opportunities, prompting manager Gareth Southgate to explore alternative ways to integrate him into the squad.
Carsley has previously indicated his preference for using Trent Alexander-Arnold as a full-back, contrasting with Southgate’s earlier decision to deploy him in a central midfield role.
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has also expressed confusion over the calls to shift Alexander-Arnold – whom he considers the “best right-back in the world” – into midfield.
After watching him play in that position against Andorra in 2021, Klopp said: “In this game, in a game where England are that dominant for example, or that we are that dominant that Trent could play in midfield, I would rather he was the six than in this case the eight.
“That is possible but why would you make the best right-back in the world a midfielder?
“I don’t understand that really.
“As if the right-back position is not as important as the others.
“People who say that I struggle to understand how you could think that.”
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