Gareth Southgate makes bizarre admission about Trent Alexander-Arnold's midfield role

Updated: 21 Jun, 2024 • 0 • min read

Table of Contents

Gareth Southgate makes bizarre admission about Trent Alexander-Arnold's midfield role

Gareth Southgate admits that playing Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield at Euro 2024 is an "experiment" due to lack of replacement for Kalvin Phillips.

The Liverpool right-back has long been lauded for his ability on the ball and range of passing, and has been utilised in a midfield role by Southgate in England's first two games at Euro 2024.

Alexander-Arnold has started alongside Declan Rice in defensive midfield during both of England's Euro 2024 group games so far.

After a lacklustre performance against Serbia, Alexander-Arnold was handed a second opportunity to prove his critics wrong but the 25-year-old once again failed to live up to the task.

READ MORE: 'I told Jürgen Klopp to play Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield'

He struggled in England's 1-1 draw against Denmark on Thursday night, and after a disappointing first-half, was hooked shortly after the break for Conor Gallagher.

In the aftermath of the game, Southgate conceded that Alexander-Arnold is being used in an "experiment" to fill a Phillips-shaped hole in the England's team.

[Alexander-Arnold] had some moments where he's delivered what we thought he would.

We know it's an experiment and we know that we don't have a natural replacement for Kalvin Phillips.

We're trying some different things and at the moment we're not flowing as we'd like, that's for sure.

Phillips had been a crucial part of Southgate's Euro 2020 finalists, with the former Leeds United midfielder being dubbed the "Yorkshire Pirlo" thanks to his fine performances.

Lack of game time and injuries following his arrival at Manchester City in 2022 meant that the 28-year-old was a surprise inclusion in the 2022 World Cup squad.

Phillips' last cap for England was in November last year as the Three Lions stuttered to a 1-1 draw with North Macedonia in Euros qualifying.

He wasn't included in England's 33-man provisional squad, having a disappointing loan spell at West Ham United in the second half of last season.