Gary Lineker has reiterated his conviction that Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold should play in midfield. This comes following his standout performance in Liverpool’s victory over Arsenal on Sunday.
Alexander-Arnold was one of the Reds’ star players as they advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 2-0 victory at Emirates Stadium. Jakub Kiwior headed the Liverpool academy graduate’s free kick into his own net, setting up the first goal.
Lineker was most interested in Conor Bradley’s switch to midfield in the second half. “I have said forever that he is a midfield player,” he said while appearing for the BBC.
“There are occasions when he may be exposed at right-back. He will not be exposed defensively in midfield. “There is no better football passer in England.”
Martin Keown, another analyst, concurred with Lineker. He compared Alexander-Arnold to Steven Gerrard, saying, “He’s now picked as a midfielder for England, not a defender.” He is an exceptional talent.
“I believe it is time to move him from defense to midfield, as that is where he prefers to play. “He’s almost like Gerrard now, and you wouldn’t have played him at right-back.”
England manager Gareth Southgate has previously used Alexander-Arnold in midfield. He played as the number eight in England’s 2021 game against Andorra, as well as in recent Euro 2024 qualifiers, including a 2-0 win against Malta.
When asked about his new job in November, Alexander-Arnold said: “In my teenage years, I was a midfielder, so I’m familiar with the position. How to handle myself and perform in the middle of the pitch is something I’ve been challenged with, and I’ve been sitting down, watching, and learning and adapting.
“As for whether I’m a midfielder or not — my specific skillset is probably best suited to someone who plays in the middle of the pitch, someone who controls the game, controls the tempo, creates, breaks line, progresses the ball up the pitch so those kinds of skills you would say are suited to someone who plays in the middle of the pitch.”