Gary Lineker agrees with Alan Shearer on Trent Alexander-Arnold amid England 'fault' claim

Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer agreed over Trent Alexander-Arnold’s criticism as the Liverpool star endures a miserable start to England’s Euro 2024 campaign. Gareth Southgate has used Alexander-Arnold in an unfamiliar midfield role and the experiment has so far failed.

After shining at right-back for the Reds in recent seasons, Alexander-Arnold has been shoehorned into the England midfield with Manchester City’s Kyle Walker preferred on the right-hand side of defence. And the 25-year-old has yet been unable to vindicate his place in the side.

Alexander-Arnold started in the middle of the park for the Three Lions against Serbia in England’s 1-0 opening group stage win, and in the drab 1-1 draw against Denmark. In both games he was withdrawn early for Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher and his performances have seen him criticised.

England face Slovenia in their final group game on Tuesday, knowing only a win guarantees a top place finish in Group C. While it remains to be seen whether Southgate continues with his Alexander-Arnold experiment, Shearer has called on the England boss to change it up.

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Shearer discussed Alexander-Arnold’s Euro campaign to date on The Rest Is Football podcast, he said: “It hasn’t worked. The midfield gamble, as he put it, in terms of Trent – that I was thinking beforehand ‘okay, let’s have a look at it, let’s see if it works’ – hasn’t worked. So he has to make changes.”

However, the pundits were in agreement that his poor form is far from the sole fault of the Liverpool man. Gary Lineker added: “I actually feel a little bit sorry for Trent,” with Shearer replying: “Yeah I do as well, it’s not at all his fault.”

England have been incredibly underwhelming in their opening two games in Germany. The Three Lions managed just five shots in total against Serbia in an uninspiring win, before they were left hanging onto a point against Denmark after Harry Kane gave them the lead after just 18 minutes.

Alexander-Arnold has been one of the England players whose performance in a new role has been put heavily under the microscope. He played 69 minutes against Serbia before he was replaced after just 54 minutes against Denmark, as Southgate appeared to admit defeat in his midfield trial.

Following the Denmark draw, Southgate bizarrely admitted that he didn’t have a natural replacement for Kalvin Phillips available in his ranks, seeming to suggest the reason behind Alexander-Arnold’s role. Despite Adam Wharton and Kobbie Mainoo also being involved in the squad and Phillips not starting a game at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“We know it’s an experiment and we know we don’t have a natural replacement for a Kalvin Phillips,” Southgate said. “But we are trying some different things and at the moment we are not flowing as we like.”