Tony Cascarino believes Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold's qualities aren't far off those of record Ballon d'Or holder Lionel Messi.
The Reds academy graduate has posed a selection headache for both Jurgen Klopp and England boss Gareth Southgate. He was handed the number 10 shirt against Malta for the Three Lions on Friday and put on a fine display as he scored and provided in their 4-0 win over the minnows.
It follows on from a blistering end to the season for the 24-year-old as he was installed in a new role where he flourished. His rich vein of form coincided with Liverpool's 11-match unbeaten run that helped them secure Europa League football - a prospect that looked unlikely at the turn of the year.
Alexander-Arnold netted his second international with an expertly taken long-range strike that sailed past the despairing Henry Bonello.
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Speaking on talkSPORT, Cascarino said: "You look at Trent and you know he can deliver. Because you do it against Malta everyone thinks ‘will he get the chance against Germany, Argentina or Brazil in a quarter final World Cup game? Would you still play him there?'
"What I go back to is that they (other countries) would play him," Cascarino added. "We all know that they would. Lionel Messi spent most of the World Cup walking around and yet went and won it. Am I comparing Trent to Messi? No. But he has qualities that aren’t far off him.
"Can he improve in that position too? We’re all looking at Trent thinking ‘that’s what we know he can do’ but can he improve on that?”
The Liverpool man who has featured predominantly as a full-back during his professional career has found gametime on the international stage hard to come by with England having a number of options in the full-back position.
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