For the first time in goodness knows how long, there was no debate regarding Trent Alexander-Arnold’s inclusion in an England squad as Gareth Southgate recalled the Liverpool defender ahead of Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia.
The right-back has admittedly struggled for most of this season in what has been a difficult year for the Reds. He was left out of the last Three Lions squad back in March because of his poor form, while his place at the 2022 World Cup had been in serious doubt.
In truth, only an injury to Reece James, which ruled him out of the tournament, and a two-month lay-off from Kyle Walker heading into Qatar ensured Alexander-Arnold’s place on the plane. He would ultimately feature for just 33 minutes as a substitute in England’s 3-0 group-stage win over Wales, when they were already comfortably ahead and heading to the knockout stages.
