Roy Keane says Trent Alexander-Arnold is ‘not up to it’ in midfield as Gareth Southgate makes bizarre Kalvin Phillips comment
Gareth Southgate has rued the absence of Kalvin Phillips in his England team, with Roy Keane insisting Trent Alexander-Arnold can't cut it in midfield.
England could only manage a 1-1 draw against Denmark on Thursday evening in their second Euro 2024 group-stage match, with Harry Kane's early opener being cancelled out by Morten Hjulmand's long-range strike.
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But while the Three Lions toiled, one player was singled out for a poor performance in Alexander-Arnold, who started in central midfield again after playing the position against Serbia in England's opener.
The Liverpool star was taken off after 53 minutes - the quickest Southgate has made a substitution in a tournament fixture.
It came after a difficult performance where he showcased his passing range on occasion, but also often looked out of his depth and struggled sometimes with the physicality.
In the ITV studio, Manchester United legend Keane lambasted the defender but also blamed Southgate for picking him in midfield.
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The Irishman said after the 1-1 draw in Frankfurt: "I've played in midfield, it is a tough position. Physically, get your distances, and he has come up short in two games.
"It is not all down to him, you have to look at Gareth [Southgate]. It is a huge gamble to throw him in the middle of the park.
"This is not against France or Germany, this is against two teams that you would have thought England would be fairly comfortable against.
"It is a big ask for him, and he is not up to it."
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Pundits and fans were left fuming with England's performance, but that frustration turned into confusion after the game when Southgate was asked about Alexander-Arnold and his midfield set-up.
In response, the England boss defended his selection and insisted that the lack of Phillips, who has fallen out of form on loan at West Ham, has hindered his options in the middle of the pitch.
He said: "[Alexander-Arnold]'s had some moments where he's delivered what we thought he would. We know it's an experiment.
"We know we don't have a natural replacement for Kalvin Philips.
"We're trying different things and at the moment we're not flowing as we'd like."
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Phillips had been England's main partner for Declan Rice at Euro 2020, where he forged a fine bond and helped the Three Lions reach the final, which they lost to Italy on penalties at Wembley.
However, after moving to Manchester City in the summer of 2022, he has seen his first-team appearances dwindle compared to his status as a key player at Leeds.
The 28-year-old was left at home this summer despite moving to West Ham on loan in January to reignite his England chances, where he struggled for form.
And yet it appears his absence is causing Southgate a major headache at the Euros this summer.
That's despite having some of the best players in the world at his disposal, and some of the country's best young talent in Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton - neither of whom got on the pitch against the Danes.
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