Trent Alexander-Arnold looks set to feature in midfield for England in their Euro 2024 qualifier away at Malta on Friday night.
The Liverpool right-back has taken the no.10 shirt for the game – live on talkSPORT – suggesting a far more attacking role than usual for his country.
Your #ThreeLions to face Malta!
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— England (@England) June 16, 2023
Fellow right-back Kieran Trippier looks to be slotting in at right-back with Luke Shaw on the opposite flank.
And despite being a peripheral figure for Manchester United, Harry Maguire starts in the heart of the defence alongside Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi.
This would see Alexander-Arnold feature in a midfield three next to Declan Rice and Jordan Henderson.
As suspected, Three Lions skipper Harry Kane leads the line, with James Maddison and Bukayo Saka either side of him.
Alexander-Arnold last featured in midfield for England in a World Cup qualifier against Andorra in 2021.
His manager at club level, Jurgen Klopp, criticised the decision at the time, saying: “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.”
Despite those comments, Klopp moved the academy product into a more advanced role last season, and saw the rewards with seven assists and a goal in his final 10 games.
More will follow.
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