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Topics: Premier League, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool, England, Football World Cup, UEFA Nations League, Gareth Southgate
Ryan Sidle
Topics: Premier League, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool, England, Football World Cup, UEFA Nations League, Gareth Southgate
Trent Alexander-Arnold has been told to quit international football until Gareth Southgate is no longer England boss, if he misses out on the World Cup squad.
Alexander-Arnold has been central to much of the discourse about Southgate's issues as England boss in the past week, as well as the issues with Harry Maguire.
The England boss decided not to use the Liverpool right back in either of the Nations League games against Italy or Germany, as the Three Lions were relegated from League A.
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In the second game, Alexander-Arnold wasn't even in the matchday squad, with Reece James, Kieran Trippier, and Kyle Walker all in the 23.
The decision to leave him out came just days after Gary Lineker had claimed that the team needed him as their most creative defender.
But with not being needed against Germany, there are questions as to whether the manager will even pick the 23-year-old for the squad for the World Cup in November.
And Gabby Agbonlahor thinks Alexander-Arnold should retire from international football, if he does miss out on Qatar, at least until Southgate is gone.
"If I was Trent, I would retire from international duty if I don’t get in the World Cup squad, I would retire until a new manager took charge of England, and give me the opportunity," Agbonlahor said on talkSPORT.
"100%, because what’s the point of going away in these international breaks," he said when challenged on it, " You can stay with your club, rest, and prepare yourself for Liverpool.
"And for Southgate to come out and say Trippier is ‘all round better than Trent,’ I think that’s an insult because I do like Trippier but Trent is an all round better player than Trippier.
"Walker and James for me are better than Trent, but don’t say Trippier. Jokes over Gareth.
"It wouldn’t surprise me if he did retire from internationals. We’ve seen players in the past retire from England because they weren’t getting the opportunities."
Agbonlahor was alluding to Southgate saying that Trippier was a better 'all round' player than Alexander-Arnold, which hasn't gone down well with many.
"Against Germany we selected the squad because of the way we went with the team so we needed [Ben] Chilwell on the bench and we had Kieran who, at the moment, I feel his all round game is ahead [of Trent]," the England boss said when explaining the Liverpool star's absence.
There is still a chance that Southgate will choose to take Alexander-Arnold to Qatar, despite having a plethora of options at right back.
He was set to be in the extended squad for the Euros last year but he got injured in the warm up games and had to miss out, with Ben White called up to replace him.