Gary Lineker has doubled down on his desire to see Trent Alexander-Arnold play in Liverpool’s midfield.The BBC Match of the Day presenter has long supported the England international’s moves to move on for club and country.
After struggling to integrate him into the Three Lions’ right-back squad, Gareth Southgate has now decided to include the 25-year-old in his squad as a starting midfielder.
Alexander-Arnold captained Jurgen Klopp in the absence of Virgil van Dijk through illness on Sunday and played a key role in Red’s progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup. Defender Jakub Kivior carelessly slipped the ball past Aaron Ramsdale and Luis Diaz scored in added time to make it 2-0.
Liverpool have identified two new options for Jurgen Klopp as a replacement for Virgil van Dijk Klopp moved Alexander-Arnold into modified Midfield when Connor Bradley was introduced at right-back in the second half of the third round. Lineker has urged Liverpool’s vice-captain to switch to midfield for good to prevent the defender being “exposed”.”I’ve always said he’s a midfielder,” he told the BBC.
“There are times when he looks like a right back. He is not to be found in the defensive midfield. “There is no better footballer in English football.
“The former Everton striker has long campaigned for Alexander-Arnold to return to midfield. He played for Liverpool’s youth academy during his youth. In a speech last month, Lineker was furious when he criticized Alexander-Arnold’s defensive skills but insisted his passing ability will help England.”He is a great footballer. “I’ve been a fan of his for many years. As everyone knows, the first time I saw him I thought, ‘He’s got to be a midfielder,’” he said.“I think he was a midfielder when he was younger.
It was one of those situations where you saw talent and brought it to the team, but couldn’t get it there. He was a right back and he played so well that he was a right back for so long.“It annoys me when people say he’s not good defensively and every mistake or goal down the left side of the pitch against Liverpool hurt him a bit, but the positives of his attacking game are definitely up there with England at the moment. thrower in football and maybe even wider, maybe in Europe.
