Trent Alexander-Arnold to play in midfield? How Gareth Southgate could play Liverpool RB

Gareth Southgate has officially picked his England squad for Euro 2020 and the Three Lions coach has made a few surprising calls, including the inclusion of Trent Alexander-Arnold and the absence of midfielders Jesse Lingard and James Ward-Prowse. Southgate has picked four right-backs in his squad including the Liverpool ace, which has raised questions considering the lack of depth England have in central midfield. Furthermore, questions have been raised on the Trent Alexander-Arnold position, with many suggesting that the 22-year-old could slot in the middle of the park rather than in his customary full-back role. 

Trent Alexander-Arnold position: Will Gareth Southgate play the Liverpool ace in midfield? 

Gareth Southgate has picked as many as four right-backs in his England squad for Euro 2020, leading to suggestions that Trent Alexander-Arnold could be deployed as a midfielder during the mega event. The Liverpool ace has previous experience of playing in midfield from his youth international and academy days but became a stalwart at right-back since breaking into Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool team. If Southgate sticks to a 4-3-3 formation, Arnold could slot in the right side of the midfield three and play line-breaking passes to Harry Kane & co., adding a different dimension to the attack.

The suggestion has increased the likelihood of being imposed on the pitch with the fitness concerns surrounding midfield mainstays Jordan Henderson, Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips along with the omission of Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse. If Southgate does intend to use the 22-year-old as a right-back only, then the Liverpool ace has stiff competition and will find it hard to replace Kyle Walker. However, there is also a likely chance that Arnold starts as a wingback in a 3-5-2 or a 3-4-3 for the Three Lions, with Walker slotting as the right-sided centre back and Atletico Madrid's Kieran Trippier and Chelsea's Reece James for cover. James in fact offers further positional versatility, having played in midfield and as a centre-back in a back three this season for Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea. 

How to watch England vs Austria? 

In the UK, the game will telecast live on ITV 1 and can be streamed online via the ITV Hub. In India, the game will telecast live on SONY TEN 2 and SONY TEN 3. The England vs Austria live stream will be available on SonyLIV. Live scores and updates can be accessed on the Twitter handles of both teams. The game kicks off at 12:30 AM IST on Thursday, June 3. 

(Image Courtesy: Trent Alexander-Arnold Twitter)