Trent Alexander-Arnold will go to the World Cup next month, but not in the capacity that he would necessarily want, according to Michael Owen.
The Liverpool right-back's place in Gareth Southgate's squad has been called into question after the Reds' number 66 was left out of the squad altogether for the Three Lions' Nations League match against Germany last month.
Alexander-Arnold's club form has also been criticised in the early stages of the season and with Reece James, Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker all vying for a right-sided defensive berth, speculation has been rife about the Liverpool star being the man to miss out. But former Reds striker Michael Owen, who made his name on the global stage as an 18-year-old by scoring a wonder goal against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup, believes he will still be on the plane to Qatar.
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Owen told the Mirror : “He should go to the World Cup. From the outside, it’s no great revelation that I’m not sure Gareth thinks of him what some people think of him. I know some people think of him as an absolutely top, world-class player, but Gareth, right from the start, it’s not a new thing, has always had that right-back position with Reece James and Kyle Walker, depending on the system.
“So I don’t think he will be a starter but I do think he will go. Just to have someone come on with his wand of a right foot and especially because the squad contains big numbers, you can have cover in every position. Him and Reece James as two right-backs would be awesome and then obviously Walker can cover there or play as a right centre-half depending on the formation.
“Trippier was used at Euro 2020 as a left-back and that could be something that would continue with a question marks over our left-backs at the moment. So I think he will go but I don’t think he will be a starter in the main games.”
Alexander-Arnold was named in Southgate's 26-man England squad for the 2020 European Championships but was forced to withdraw eight days before the start of the tournament with a thigh injury.
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