Trent Alexander-Arnold will not start for England against Slovenia on Tuesday night, as reported by David Ornstein of The Athletic. Gareth Southgate initially employed Alexander-Arnold as a centre midfielder alongside Declan Rice in England’s first two Euro 2024 group games. However, after a subpar performance against Denmark, where he was substituted at the 53-minute mark for Conor Gallagher, Southgate plans to revert to Gallagher in the midfield for the Group C finale.
In England’s match against Denmark, Alexander-Arnold struggled in his midfield role—an experiment Southgate might abandon permanently. Despite being highly versatile and previously using a hybrid role under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold failed to impress. Conor Gallagher, who substituted for him, also had difficulties but is expected to start against Slovenia.
Meanwhile, Declan Rice has defended his teammate, arguing Alexander-Arnold’s capability to perform in midfield. Rice emphasized that calls for Alexander-Arnold to play in midfield were widespread, and his potential should not be doubted based on a single performance. Rice maintained his strong support for Alexander-Arnold, asserting his extraordinary talent witnessed both with Liverpool and England.
