MANCHESTER UNITED legend Gary Neville has once again criticised Gareth Southgate’s decision to axe Trent Alexander-Arnold from his starting line-up at Euro 2024.
Alexander-Arnold started England’s first two games in Germany alongside Declan Rice in midfield.
But he was cut from the line-up and replaced by Conor Gallagher ahead of the team’s 0-0 draw with Slovenia.
Neville subsequently claimed it was “illegal” the Liverpool man was not starting for the Three Lions and suggested he should have been playing over Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier.
And he doubled down on his assessment following Alexander-Arnold’s Player of the Match performance against Finland.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast by Sky Bet alongside Roy Keane, Jamie Carragher, Ian Wright and Paul Scholes, Neville insisted England have a “massive problem” if the right-back does not fit into the starting line-up.
He said: “I said during the summer, it was something that hit me during the summer about the misuse of England players.
“I said it’s illegal that Trent Alexander-Arnold is not playing for England. It’s illegal.
“The thing is, if we have a player that can do what he can do and we can’t get him into our team, we have got a massive problem. It’s a massive problem.
“I don’t know where you stand on that but I think it’s illegal that he wasn’t playing for England.”
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Neville then turned to ex-United team-mate Scholes and asked: “Did you agree? You were deemed to have been misused for England – do you have some sort of thinking that’s the same with Trent? He hasn’t played right-back in four years for England. Is that right?”
And Scholes responded: “It’s obviously because of his defensive frailties, isn’t it? His quality on the ball is unreal, it’s brilliant.
“But if, say, Pep [Guardiola] was manager of England, he’d play him every week.
“Because someone like Gareth, who is not as attacking, might be thinking he’ll give the ball away.”
Carragher then waded in to add: “I think the benefits of having him on the ball overrides the defensive stuff.”
Alexander-Arnold played every minute for England against Ireland and Finland this week as a right-back.
Three Lions icon Gary Lineker praised the inclusion of the Liverpool star, Anthony Gordon and Jack Grealish after the international break.
Speaking on The Rest is Football, he said: “It’s interesting as well, isn’t it, that perhaps some of the things fans were most disappointed about in the Euros – well, probably three things, maybe more.
“But everyone wanted Anthony Gordon to play on the left because we all saw a weakness and an unbalance on that side.
“Also that he can run behind players because Kane likes to come short and you’ve got to have a threat behind so he did that.
“The other thing was he [Southgate] left Jack Grealish out of the squad which a lot of people were bemused by and he’s come in and performed really well.
“And obviously, he never really trusted Trent Alexander-Arnold. In the first game Carsley has come up with all these things and a lot of us are going ‘you see? We told you’.”
Southgate was asked about Lineker’s comments during an interview with Sky earlier this week.
He responded: “I have shut off from everything.There’s no point in me talking about the team now.
“It’s for me to let other people take over, to give them the space to go and take the team on to the next challenges.
“There’s no point in me getting involved in anything like that.”
TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD showed his brilliance as Harry Kane’s brace saw England beat Finland.
Interim boss Lee Carsley maintained his 100 per cent win record in charge of England.
SunSports Tom Barclay has given their ratings of the England players…
Jordan Pickford – 6
Had nothing to do.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – STAR MAN 9
England’s best player as he supplied some beautiful balls from deep that on another day would have led to a glut of assists.
He did get one in the end, although that was more thanks to Harry Kane’s lethal finishing.
Ezri Konsa – 6
Showed his ability on the ball with a super ball through for Bukayo Saka on the half hour.
Twisted his ankle early in the second half, surprisingly played on before being replaced on the hour.
John Stones – 6
Played at left-sided centre-back before shifting when Levi Colwill came on.
Solid though not much to deal with. Now 19 short of 100 caps.
Rico Lewis – 7
In the right place to snuff out early danger from ex-Norwich man Teemu Pukki.
Came close to a goal on his second England cap when prodding wide after the break.
Declan Rice – 5
Lost possession to give Finland their one and only big chance which Topi Kesinen should have squared to Pukki, but instead fired wildly over.
Angel Gomes – 7
Wanted the ball from the off, just like Lee Carsley thought he would. Deliciously drilled cross-field ball to Alexander-Arnold early doors showed his range.
Bukayo Saka – 7
Almost scored and almost assisted in a lively display.
Unlucky that Kane was millimetres offside after the centurion had headed home the Arsenal man’s wicked delivery.
Jack Grealish – 7
Enjoyed being in the heart of the action at No10 again, as he did on Saturday against the Republic of Ireland.
Carsley clearly likes him – it will be fascinating to see what happens when Mssrs Bellingham, Foden and Palmer all return.
Anthony Gordon – 7
Caused problems down the left with his rapid pace – how we needed some of that in the Euros.
But did not have on his shooting boots as he fluffed a decent chance early in the second half.
Harry Kane – 8
Two blistering finishes took the centurion to an astonishing 68 goals in 100 caps.
Was denied the chance of a hat-trick in front of his family when subbed off to a standing ovation for the final ten.
Kane said he fancies his chances of reaching a ton of international goals – and it does not seem fanciful.
SUBS
Levi Colwill (on for Konsa, 61) – 6
Next to no threat from Finland by the time he came on.
Eberechi Eze (on for Gordon, 66) – 6
Raced on to yet another special Trent pass but could not loop it over the keeper.
Noni Madueke (on for Saka, 66) – 7
Looked to make an impact every time he got the ball on debut. Excellent one-two with Trent saw the Chelsea man tee up Kane’s second.
Marc Guehi (on for Stones, 80) – 6
As with Colwill, little to do.
Jarrod Bowen (on for Kane, 81) – 6
Played up top after Kane went off for the final minutes, as he has done for West Ham.
