Trent Alexander-Arnold tactic has been ditched after Liverpool send clear message

Alexander-Arnold has outlined that he might not mind the fact Liverpool and England have seemingly decided to chuck out a summer experiment.

Trent Alexander-Arnold started his third consecutive England game for the first time on Thursday. “That’s exciting, and hopefully more to come,” was his reaction when the prospect was put to him a few days earlier.

The Liverpool star went on to outline how he feels the national team’s style of play benefits him to a tee and how the key to September’s man of the match awards in both Nations League matches was down to interim boss Lee Carsley’s philosophy. Freedom and fluidity, even if too much of that cost England against Greece.

“The manager didn’t have many limitations on what we could do,” he told ITV in a pre-match sit-down. “I found positions that were natural to me.

“Whether it was roaming inside, getting the ball off the centre back or [going] high and wide, making underlaps, overlaps. I was kind of doing it all. I was playing well and enjoying it.”

The 26-year-old cut a customary relaxed figure during the interview following a summer of intense criticism while on Three Lions duty. Alexander-Arnold was used as a central midfielder by Gareth Southgate for the first two Euro 2024 matches before the “experiment” was scrapped.

The defender has not started in the position for club and country since. Being told to play as a central midfielder is not the same as being allowed to move inside from right-back.

Former assistant coach Pep Lijnders (jokingly) offered his “f salary” to Jurgen Klopp, so adamant he was that Alexander-Arnold needed to operate as an inverted full-back. That worked beautifully but even under their tutelage, the player only started in midfield twice during their last season.

Alexander-Arnold is now working under new managers for both club and country and neither has played him as a central midfielder. Not that the Reds vice-captain is overly bothered.

“People always ask what my best position is, right-back, midfield or whatever. My answer will always be I’m someone who doesn’t look at positions on a football pitch. What I believe and how I play is, playing the game not the position.”

Alexander-Arnold still has licence to come inside under Slot, although he seems to be fine-tuning when this happens. He hasn’t been given carte blanche but he still has the freedom to play his game.

What seems certain is that his days of starting in central midfield are over. And Alexander-Arnold has indicated he’s not going to lose too much sleep over that.