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Peter Crouch delivers England verdict on Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold

Dom Toner

Tue 23 March 2021 7:50, UK

Peter Crouch has been left bemused by the exclusion of Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold from the latest England squad.

Alexander-Arnold, who earns £75,000-a-week (), will remain on Merseyside during the current two-week international break.

The 22-year-old defender hasn’t been included in Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions squad, which must be a worry for him with this summer’s European Championships fast approaching.

Unfortunately, Reece James, Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier are all right-back options included in the England squad ahead of the Liverpool youngster.

Crouch is convinced though that Alexander-Arnold needs to be going to the Euros this summer.

He’s had a rough patch this season with his form, but in recent years has been an integral part of a team to win both the Champions League and Premier League.

“The selection — or should that be ‘no-selection’ — that surprised me most of all involved Trent Alexander-Arnold,” Crouch told the .

“If Trent doesn’t go to the tournament it will remind me of the time Sven Goran Eriksson overlooked Jermain Defoe for Theo Walcott in 2006.

“Trent is a top player and surely you have to find a place for him in the squad?”

TBR’s View:

Alexander-Arnold was firmly in the discussion of being the best right-back in the world not that long ago, so it’s crazy that he’s no longer part of the England squad.

One thing that may go against him is that Southgate looks like he’s implementing a system with wing-backs, but he only plays as a conventional full-back in the Liverpool formation.

The signs have been positive though in the last month that Alexander-Arnold is beginning to recapture his best form, which can only be good news for both club and country.

Surely there is a place for him on the England plane this summer if he finishes the season strongly.