Liverpool players are due to come in for extra scrutiny this summer as they turn out for their countries.
In the goldfish bowl that is international football, players can become pariahs overnight if they cost their nation a shot at glory.
For Liverpool, 14 of the first-team squad are travelling to Germany and the USA for Euro 2024 and the Copa America respectively.
Not all of those featuring will play big parts for their teams, but the likes of young Vitezslav Jaros will gain crucial experience even without playing.
Others will be key figures for their country’s, including England’s Trent Alexander-Arnold. And as the academy graduate gears up for a midfield role in Gareth Southgate’s team, former Premier League manager Sam Allardyce has sent a warning.
Sam Allardyce sends Trent Alexander-Arnold warning
This is a crucial point in Alexander-Arnold’s career development. He’s set to be a starter at a major international tournament for the first time.
With Trent due to feature in midfield, it could be the turning point which leads to him settling into a more permanent position further up the pitch for Liverpool, too.
Arne Slot certainly has a decision to make regarding where to play his No.66 and if Alexander-Arnold has a good Euros, it may make that decision all the more easy.
In the meantime though, not everyone is happy to see Trent start in midfield. As he seems to do, the Liverpool right-back has very much split opinion ahead of the tournament.
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According to former England boss Allardyce though, people should ‘keep their mouths shut’ about Southgate trying Alexander-Arnold in midfield.
“His weakest point is defending,” the manager argues on his No Tippy Tappy Football podcast.
“Fantastic, absolutely brilliant player, brilliant on the ball, can thread a 60-yard ball as good as anyone else can do a 15 or 20-yard one. That’s the quality of his passing,” Allardyce adds. “But I haven’t seen his defending get any better.
“He can play full-back, he can play in midfield. People will say ‘he won’t be as effective as Bellingham, he won’t be as effective as Rice because he’s not a midfield player’. They don’t know. Keep your mouth shut, you don’t know.”
Liverpool watching Alexander-Arnold role with interest
First things first for Liverpool is that they need to sort out a new contract for Alexander-Arnold.
If they don’t do that, then another club – possibly Real Madrid – will be the ones debating where best to play the Scouser.
Presuming that gets done though, Liverpool would do well to keep their eyes peeled on what happens with England this summer.
If Trent excels in midfield then he will indeed shut a lot of people up. He’ll also likely guarantee that his future at Anfield lies further forward.
Fail to excite though and not only will Alexander-Arnold feel the wrath of the court of public opinion, he’ll also probably end up back at right-back next season.