Trent Alexander-Arnold’s defensive abilities have been described as “championship level” by former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf.
The England and Liverpool full-back has come under fire amid the Reds’ shaky start to the season.
He has earned a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for their Nations League clashes against Italy and Germany, however, it looks like he is behind Reece James, Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier for that coveted starting spot at right-back.
There is no doubt that Alexander-Arnold’s qualities are going forward, but Leboeuf thinks his defensive skills are nowhere near the level he plays at.
Leboeuf, who was part of France’s World Cup-winning squad in 1998, also believes the 23-year-old is only capable of playing in the system devised by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
“Look at Trent Alexander-Arnold. I love the guy, his offensive qualities. But defensively, he is at championship level,” he said in an interview with Journal du Dimanche quoted by Goal.
“Only Klopp’s system works for him. When it doesn’t work as well as it did this season, all you see is his defensive shortcomings.
“I want to take him with me to work on the basics. I said to him: ‘Turn your head and look behind you, it will already be better’.
“It was Roberto Carlos who deformed generations of defenders.”
Alexander-Arnold didn’t feature in England’s loss to Italy and it remains to be seen if he will play a part in their final game before the World Cup, which will see them face Germany, live on talkSPORT.
And former Liverpool star Danny Murphy believes Southgate will not take Alexander-Arnold to Qatar in November.
Murphy told talkSPORT: “I don’t think he’s going. I don’t think Gareth will choose him. Would I choose him? Yes.
“As far as the right-backs we have, people will have different choices because we are blessed with them.
“The thing Trent gives you that none of the others do is that even if you don’t start him, he can do things from an attacking standpoint that the others can’t.
“He sees passes that others don’t and he can cross the ball better than any of them.
“I’m not saying Kieran Trippier and Reece James aren’t good crossers, but Trent is a creative player.”
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