Gary Lineker has at long last made a point about Trent Alexander-Arnold that many Liverpool fans would’ve been proclaiming for years.
The Reds’ vice-captain has had to endure a seemingly endless torrent of criticism from pundits in his homeland regarding his defensive abilities, and he was made a scapegoat for England’s slow start to Euro 2024, having been dropped after their first two group games.
However, he was named Player of the Match as the Three Lions saw off Republic of Ireland on Saturday, and the wider narrative surrounding the 25-year-old finally seems to be changing for the better.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football, Lineker said: “I think it’s great to see Trent in the side. Some of his passes were superb, particularly obviously the one that he hit for Anthony Gordon that led to the first goal. I mean, what a pass that was! It just strikes me, I just think ‘how can this guy not be in the team somewhere’.
“He’s so good, but I think it was that thing. All we’ve ever focused on is Trent’s weaknesses when it comes to England. Defensively, oh, he might make a mistake – he might make one mistake but he might give you two or three opportunities to score because he’s so brilliant with the ball at his feet.”
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It appears that prominent pundits in the UK are finally waking up to the realisation that, while the Liverpool vice-captain mightn’t always be the greatest defensively, that pales in comparison to the spellbinding qualities that he offers in possession.
It’s a case of the rewards vastly outweighing the risks, and while many Reds fans have long since championed that view, the 25-year-old is only now beginning to receive the adulation that he deserves from the wider media in this country.
Of course, one off-day could see the knives coming straight back out, but let’s hope that he continues to confound the doubters and vindicate those who’ve appreciated his talents for years.
You can view Lineker’s comments on Trent below (from 6:25), via The Rest Is Football on YouTube:
