11 months ago
165 Upon watching Liverpool’s comeback victory against Fulham yesterday, Gary Lineker was almost lost for words for one player.
The pundit was speaking on ‘The Rest Is Football’ podcast and expressed how impressed he’d been with a Liverpool defender he now considers world-class.
Lineker declared Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold a wonderful footballer, one that could start for England next summer at the Euros.
He said: “He is a wonderful footballer. I mean, I have been a fan of his for many years.
“Everyone knows that, in fact from the first few times I saw him I used to think he has got to be a midfield player and I think he was a youngster.
“It was one of those situations where they see a talent and they think we will get him in the team but you can’t get him in his position.
“He ends up going to right-back and he was so good for so long that he became a right-back.
Gary Lineker thinks Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold is the best passer in European football
Lineker also went on to discuss the unfair criticism Trent still receives for his defending at Liverpool.
He continued: “It irritates me a little bit when people say he’s not very good at defending and every slight error or any goal that goes in on that side of the pitch against Liverpool, people have a pop at him but I think the positives of his forward play and his passing, I think he is certainly the best passer of the ball in the English game at the moment.
“And probably in a much bigger area than that, maybe even Europe.
“His range of passing, outside the foot, inside the foot, long passes and short passes and crosses, of course.
“But I’m loving him in this new role where he drifts into midfield. Gareth Southgate has tried him in midfield as well and I think that could work for England, alongside Rice, as Gareth likes to play two and you could play Bellingham in front of them.”
Of course, very few fans would now disagree with the merits of Trent starting for England.
As well as his obvious advantages in creativity, the 25-year-old would also provide the David Beckham x-factor in set piece situations – another string to Southgate’s bow.
And although Lineker mentions the idea of some criticism here, it was actually a Liverpool forward who was lamented for his performance yesterday.
There’s no doubt that Trent really could have an exciting season for Liverpool, one that Lineker will be watching closely.
And although he’s already hit some very high heights in his career, he could be about to take it one step further.
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