Trent Alexander-Arnold and Caoimhin Kelleher moment at full-time speaks volumes
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Caoimhin Kelleher embraced at full-time after England's win over Ireland in the Nations League, with the pair also swapping jerseys after the encounter in Dublin.
The Liverpool right-back did not start in any of England's final five matches of the European Championship, having lined up in the Three Lions' first two games against Serbia and Denmark in Germany.
However, he was back in the team - and starting at right-back - for England's first game since Southgate's resignation, and he delivered one of his best international showings during the 2-0 win in Ireland, winning the Player of the Match award.
Alexander-Arnold was not joined by any of his Liverpool teammates in England's starting line-up, but there was a fellow Reds star lining up for the opposite team, with Kelleher manning the sticks for the hosts.
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After the game, the pair shared a warm embrace, smiling and laughing as they approached each other. A few moments later, the pair reconvened and swapped their match jerseys.
Alexander-Arnold was used as a central midfielder during the Euros, but was sacrificed by Gareth Southgate, with Conor Gallagher and later Kobbie Mainoo preferred to the 25-year-old in the latter stages of the tournament.
Interim England manager Lee Carsley confirmed in the build-up to Saturday's game against Ireland that he considered Alexander-Arnold to be a right-back, rather than a midfielder.
"I think for me, for this camp especially, he'll be a right-back playing in defense," Carsley said of Alexander-Arnold. “Trent, especially modern-day full-backs, have all-round attributes that almost turn them into midfielders, very comfortable receiving the ball, great range of passing, as has Rico (Lewis) and Kyle Walker-Peters, who I watched at Southampton the other day.
"At some point I imagine we'll see Trent arriving into that kind of [midfield] area, but I see him as a right-back."