Trent Alexander-Arnold enjoyed a strong performance for England against Finland on Sunday, but his night may have gotten a little sweeter after landing £500 from teammate Jack Grealish.
The Liverpool defender lined up in an unfamiliar left-back role for the Three Lions as they looked to make amends for their shocking 2-1 defeat at home to Greece in midweek.
England did just that, winning 3-1 in Helsinki, with Alexander-Arnold instrumental in England taking a 2-0 lead.
First, the 26-year-old played a precision line-breaking pass to find Angel Gomes on the edge of the Finland box, with the Lille man feeding Grealish for a one-on-one finish.
Then, in the 74th minute with Finland piling on the pressure, Alexander-Arnold unleashed a stunning free-kick to beat Lukas Hradecky and effectively settle the tie.
Netting a free-kick for your country is cause enough for celebration, but it’s little wonder Alexander-Arnold looked so happy with Grealish’s post-match revelation.
“I joked to Trent [Alexander-Arnold] before the free-kick ‘score this I will give you 500 quid’ and he slapped it in top bin,” said Grealish (via BBC Sport).
Alexander-Arnold once again came under fire from Roy Keane for his defensive performance in Helsinki.
However, he did more than enough to please interim boss Lee Carsley, who praised Trent’s performance in an unfamiliar position.
“Trent’s quality speaks for itself. I don”t see it that I’ve found a place for him, he’s more than earnt his place,” Carsley said after the match (via Sky Sports).
“We do get bogged down with left back or right back and what his best position is but as long he’s in effective positions, it’s great to have him.”
England have two more games left in their Uefa Nations League group campaign, starting with their must-win clash against Greece next month before hosting the Republic of Ireland at Wembley.
Top photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
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