Report: Gareth Southgate left 'astonished' after what he's heard about him and 24-year-old Liverpool player

Gareth Southgate has faced plenty of criticism for his handling of Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.

There has been the impression that he does not fully trust the 24-year-old, who is yet to fully establish himself in the Three Lions’ starting XI.

A report by the Telegraph claims that Southgate is ‘astonished’ by those claims about the man he is now taking to his second World Cup.

Reece James will miss the tournament through injury, Kyle Walker is coming back to fitness and Kieran Trippier will also offer competition for Alexander-Arnold.

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Southgate insists he rates Alexander-Arnold

Southgate thinks the situation with Alexander-Arnold which is not helping the Liverpool man, adding to the noise around him and creating scrutiny where there does not need to be any.

He is shocked by the idea that he does not rate him and is ‘astonished’ that he is regarded as being “anti-Trent” or “anti-attacking full-backs”.

Southgate has more varied options than Jurgen Klopp has at right-back for England, and the two teams play in different ways, which create different demands on their defences.

When all of England’s right-backs are fit, Southgate faces the prospect of leaving out one or more option who has won the Premier League, Champions League or La Liga.

That means a big name is going to be sat on the bench, and it has been Alexander-Arnold at times. It may well be the same at this World Cup, as Trippier is on red-hot form.

But Alexander-Arnold has ten more years at international level ahead of him, with plenty of chances to shine at tournaments when Trippier and Walker have moved on.

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