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Wayne Rooney questioned over 'extreme' comments about Trent Alexander-Arnold
Wayne Rooney has faced criticism for his damning assessment of Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of England’s opening game at Euro 2024.
The Three Lions face Serbia in their first Group C match and Alexander-Arnold has been tipped to get the nod in midfield. The 25-year-old started as a midfielder at academy level before making his name as an attack-minded right-back for Liverpool, though he has impressed in his new role at international level.
Despite principally lining up as a defender for Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold often drifts into midfield for the Reds and arguably possesses the best range of passing in the England squad. However, Rooney strongly disagrees that Gareth Southgate’s team can benefit from bringing Alexander-Arnold into a more central area and also questions his positional sense.
READ MORE: Jamie Carragher opposes Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney on Trent Alexander-Arnold
“Defensively, he's all over the place. He can't defend,” Rooney told The Overlap. “I wouldn't have him anywhere near the middle of the pitch. I'd have no problem with playing him here [at right-back]. I think in here [midfield], I wouldn't have him anywhere near there.”
Given his experiences with England, perhaps ex-Everton icon Rooney is scarred by his own move into midfield during the Three Lions’ ill-fated campaign at Euro 2016. It is certainly a topic worthy of discussion due to Alexander-Arnold’s relative inexperience in the role, but talkSPORT host Natalie Sawyer believes Rooney’s comments may have slightly overstepped the mark.
“Wouldn’t trust him anywhere near the middle is what Rooney has to say. It seems a little extreme,” Sawyer said. “If he’d never done it before and we’re literally just putting you in because we need somebody to play that role, OK, you can raise some questions over it but he started his life in the academy as a midfielder.
“He was then converted to a right-back. We saw it last season that he would play in midfield at times for Liverpool so it’s not alien to him. It’s a little extreme, perhaps [from Rooney].”
Rooney’s verdict on Alexander-Arnold caused the subject to be put to the England boss during a recent press conference. However, Southgate defended the Liverpool man and suggested that moving Alexander-Arnold into midfield had been a long-term plan ahead of Euro 2024.
“I’m really happy. I spoke to Trent about playing in this role over a year ago. It’s something he’s been really keen to do,” Southgate explained.
The England manager also told ITV: “We think he can offer something we don’t have, he can give the team a different dimension and he’s been diligent in understanding the role. He has as good a passing range as anyone in world football really.
“He’s been invested in learning and understanding all aspects of the game in that role and I’ve enjoyed working with him on that project in the last 12 months. His mentality and attitude have been absolutely first class.”
