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Gary Neville names Liverpool star as one of three 'generational talents' in England squad
Gary Neville has singled out three generational talents in the England World Cup squad.
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Gary Neville has named Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold as one of three "generational talents" in the England World Cup squad. However, he would not start the right-back in a knockout game at the upcoming tournament in Qatar.
Last week, Neville questioned whether Gareth Southgate would select Alexander-Arnold in his 26-man squad. But after Reece James was deemed too much of a fitness risk, the 24-year-old got the nod.
Neville would start the tournament with a back-three formation, and play Alexander-Arnold at wing-back. He believes the former Liverpool academy graduate has generational talent that only Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham have in the rest of the travelling squad.
Neville said on Sky Sports: "I think Foden is that, Bellingham is that and I think, although we talk about him a lot, Trent Alexander-Arnold is that. If you look at what he is in his position, there’s nothing like it in terms of delivery.
"Playing him as a right wing-back gives you the opportunity to get him into the team. You’d never play him at right-back, I don’t think, in a knockout game for England.
"But he may, if he starts that tournament well, and you’ve got [Kyle] Walker or [Ben] White behind him in that channel they do get out there comfortably."
Unsurprisingly, both Bellingham and Foden are also in Neville's XI for the first match against Iran. But despite his high praise, Neville believes Kieran Trippier will come into the England side in place of Alexander-Arnold if they make it through the group.
He continued: "In a knockout game, I don’t think he’ll play in a knockout game. I think on that right-hand side I think Trippier and Walker will come in for White and Alexander-Arnold as the teams change who they play against.
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"This is unique, no international manager has ever had four days going into a tournament, they’ve had four weeks to prepare. Gareth’s got to go there with what he’s built in the March friendlies and in the players’ minds, that’s why I’m going three at the back.
"I’d be amazed if Gareth went from three in the last few games to a four, he doesn’t trust a pair. Which pair would you put there and say you’d trust them? None of them are good enough.
"I don’t think he’s going to play him [Alexander-Arnold] as a right-back, I think right wing-back. It’s not ideal, the defensive situation."
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