Rio Ferdinand has delivered his verdict on whether Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold should start for England in their opening game of Euro 2024.
The Englishman is naturally a right-back, but it looks like a spot in central midfield is where he will get the most opportunities at the Euros this summer.
Gareth Southgate has a decision to make on that topic, and Ferdinand has now shared what he thinks the England boss should do in his side’s opener against Serbia.
Rio Ferdinand shares whether Trent Alexander-Arnold should start for England
England are one of the favourites to win the Euros this summer.
The Three Lions have a squad filled with superstars from the Premier League and abroad. Individually, they have one of the best teams in the world right now.
Southgate has to work out a plan to get the best out of them as a group, and he has a few dilemmas ahead of England’s first game of the Euros.
The biggest decision for the Three Lions boss will be to decide who he starts in midfield.
Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham are guaranteed starters, but the third spot is up for grabs and many believe Alexander-Arnold should get the nod there.
The Liverpool man is more than capable of playing in the middle of the park, and his passing range from deep could really hurt the opposition. Gary Lineker even thinks midfield is his best position.
Ferdinand, however, doesn’t think Alexander-Arnold should start in midfield against Serbia in England’s opening game.
He said in a video on his YouTube channel: “I think [Kobbie] Mainoo plays a part in this tournament, but I don’t start him initially. Same as Trent.
“One of those two, I think, could almost come in and take a shirt at some point maybe, but that’s the team I would start with (Ferdinand’s England Xi does not include Alexander-Arnold).
“But I just look at it like this with Trent. Trent’s ridiculous. I can’t talk highly enough about him with the ball. His passing range is like De Bruyne, Beckham-esque, like them levels, right?
“Put the ball anywhere you want, but he’s, I don’t know, right now he’s not at that level. Has he played enough games in midfield?”
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The one concern for England if Alexander-Arnold starts in midfield
Alexander-Arnold is a special player.
The things the Liverpool man can do when he has the ball are magnificent, and any team in the world would be lucky to have him in their squad.
The one concern for Southgate about Alexander-Arnold is whether the Englishman can be positionally disciplined, especially in moments of transition.
Rice is one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, but the Arenal man cannot cover the whole pitch if a team is counter-attacking.
That could be the one reason why Alexander-Arnold misses out, but we think he deserves an opportunity as his passes can unlock stubborn opposition defences.