Gareth Southgate finally put all the noise around Trent Alexander-Arnold to bed after starting the Liverpool ace in midfield for England.
The Anfield star was handed the role from the very first whistle in the nation’s Euro 2024 opener against Serbia.
His fellow midfielder Jude Bellingham netted the only goal after 13 minutes, with both players then substituted late on.
Conor Gallagher replaced Alexander-Arnold after 69 minutes, with Kobbie Mainoo coming on for Bellingham in the 86th minute.
The decisions from Gareth Southgate may suggest that further starts are incoming for the Liverpool and Real Madrid icons next time out.
Jamie O’Hara takes aim at Trent Alexander-Arnold in England win
England take on Denmark in their next Group C encounter, with a test against Slovenia following that clash.
Whether or not Southgate does go with the same midfield remains to be seen, but starting Alexander-Arnold in that role is not something that talkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara wants to see happen ever again.
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“Here we go, Conor Gallagher, it’s got to be for Trent surely, that’s obvious, that was an obvious change,” O’Hara said on talkSPORT.
“Trent, I think that’s probably the last game we’ll see him play in midfield. I just don’t think he’s good enough in midfield, I’m sorry, he’s just not good enough.
“He’s not comfortable in there, he’s going to give the ball away. At international level you can’t give it away in those areas.”
Pundits disagree over Liverpool player’s ability in midfield
It was by no means the prettiest of displays from Southgate’s side, but England did get the job done against a resilient Serbia outfit.
Bellingham perhaps unsurprisingly stole all the plaudits once more, but he was helped in midfield by Alexander-Arnold and Declan Rice.
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The Liverpool right-back, who has often operated in an inverted full-back role for his club, dominated much of the talk before the tournament got underway.
He constantly divided opinion, and will continue to do so as Euro 2024 roars on, with Roy Keane perhaps his harshest critic.
The former Manchester United midfielder is of the same opinion as O’Hara, believing that England will get found out against the top teams if Alexander-Arnold continues in his current role.
But O’Hara’s fellow talkSPORT pundit Dean Saunders disagrees, and is confident that the full-back could play in midfield for Champions League winners Real Madrid.