Chelsea stalwart Reece James has leapt to Trent Alexander-Arnold's defence over suggestions that the Liverpool icon is susceptible to costly errors at the back.
For all of his brilliant attacking contributions, Alexander-Arnold has often been criticised for alleged lapses in concentration and poor positioning which can leave the Reds - and England - vulnerable. Recently, the most notorious example of this came in the Champions League final, when Vinicius Junior was allowed far too much space at the back post to score the winner for Real Madrid.
This mistake placed the 23-year-old's defensive attributes firmly in the spotlight, as well as his standing in the Three Lions pecking order. However, James insists his international colleague is a "great player" and committing errors is simply part of the learning curve for a young defender.
"I make mistakes as well. I gave away a penalty against Hungary so we are both still learning our trade," the 22-year-old said, referring to England's 1-0 defeat last week. "Liverpool have 95 per cent of the ball and he defends less than I have to. People have a lot of stuff to say and don't really know the game. Trent is a great player."
Alexander-Arnold recorded the second-most assists in the Premier League last season, with his tally of 12 behind only to Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah (13). The Reds also conceded just 26 goals in their 38 top-flight outings, meaning they had the joint-best defensive record alongside champions Manchester City.
James had a brilliant season of his own, scoring five goals and grabbing nine assists in the league, even though hamstring injuries limited him to 26 appearances. The former Cobham academy prospect faces stern competition from Alexander-Arnold and Kyle Walker to be first-choice right-back at the World Cup in Qatar this winter, but he insists he is relishing the competition.
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"I'll try everything I can (to be first choice)," James added. "Only my performances will be able to prove what I can bring. In these games and building into next season I'll hopefully be able to show that I'm ready to play every game."
In truth, very few England players have staked their claim for a starting role at the World Cup during June's Nations League fixtures. Gareth Southgate's side lost in Hungary, snatched a 1-1 draw against Germany and laboured to a goalless stalemate versus Italy on Saturday evening.
The highlight of the international break so far was Harry Kane reaching the landmark of 50 goals for his country with his penalty in Munich. England have the chance to avenge their defeat by Hungary on Tuesday at Molineux.
