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Oliver Jones

Kieran Trippier a 'better' option for England than Trent Alexander-Arnold verdict

Former Premier League defender and talkSPORT pundit Danny Mills has called Trent Alexander-Arnold a 'waste of a pick' for Gareth Southgate's World Cup 2022 squad saying Newcastle United defender Kieran Trippier would be 'better' for the Three Lions.

Both right-backs were picked in Southgate's most recent 28-man squad for their UEFA Nations League matches during the international break but neither saw any minutes.

But with players like Manchester City's Kyle Walker and Chelsea's Reece James both capable of playing in the same position as well as centre-back, it looks less and less likely the Liverpool man will find a seat on the plane.

READ MORE: Gareth Southgate names Kieran Trippier in explanation for Alexander-Arnold's England omission

READ MORE: Gareth Southgate's response to Nick Pope question after Newcastle goalkeeper's England 'error'

Speaking on talkSPORT's Breakfast show with Laura Woods, Mills didn't hold back when talking about Trent Alexander-Arnold and highlighted Trippier as a prime reason he shouldn't be in the squad.

"I wouldn't take him - he doesn't fit into my squad. Does he start at right-back? No is the answer so at what point does he actually play?

"If I'm playing a flat back four: Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier then [Reece] James. More experience, better form, better defensively, better players at right back than Trent.

"Trippier can play centre-half and left-back as well, Walker can play centre-half, wing-back and full-back, James can play centre-half, wing-back and would probably be my third-choice right-back.

"Trent can only play right-back pushing forward, he's amazing going forward but defensively he gets caught out every single time. He'll get found out in the Knockout Stages, and in big games, there's always one moment where he's caught out of position, it's happened time and time again.

"It's a waste of a pick for me - people might say 'What about set pieces?' but there are plenty of others who can take them and Trippier is one of them, he scored in the World Cup semi-final!"

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