The England team’s 1-0 victory against Australia saw the Liverpool vice captain play at fullback.
In a dull match at Wembley, Trent Alexander-Arnold started at right defender for England as they defeated Australia 1-0.
Gareth Southgate’s ideas frequently put the vice-captain of Liverpool at a crossroads since England has an embarrassment of riches at right-back.
The 25-year-old was played in central midfield in the Three Lions head coach’s previous two matches against North Macedonia and Malta, when he scored a goal and provided an assist.
But in a dull match against a heavily rotated England team, Ollie Watkins scored the game’s lone goal when he was moved back to the back four. Upon being substituted by Kieran Trippier at the hour mark, former Reds captain Jordan Henderson was met with jeers from the crowd.
Handing him a six out of 10, they wrote: “Early on, Alexander-Arnold was too keen to slip into midfield that he left Fikayo Tomori to cover right-back as well as his own position.
“His first-time ball created England’s goal.”
Alexander-Arnold was crucial to England’s game-winning goal, which kept them from suffering a defeat like they did to Australia in 2003. Watkins scored after Jack Grealish’s shot across the goal face after receiving his first-time feed at the back post.
Strangely, Mail Online said that the Liverpool defender brought his new inverted role from Anfield to Wembley to do his “John Stones tribute act.”
Added: “Did his John Stones tribute act by stepping into midfield from right back – extraordinary pass to Grealish to set up Watkins goal.” and given a rating of seven out of ten.
The Telegraph wrote the following straightforward assessment of his right-back play: “Without the ball he was in his right-back position but in possession played as an “inverted full-back” in the middle of the park and tried to pick out passes,” rating Alexander-Arnold’s performance as a six out of 10.
The Liverpool guy was described as being at the “centre of everything” by The Express, who praised his performance. They stated: “Alexander-Arnold was the driving force behind everything that went well for England.
“Moving into midfield from right-back, several creative passes helped the Three Lions mount dangerous attacks,” rating him among the highest rated with Watkins scooping the Player of the Match award.