Former Liverpool star Emile Heskey has given his thoughts on England's right-back situation, with Jarell Quansah starting for the Three Lions against Spain over Trent Alexander-Arnold.
England's defender #02 Trent Alexander-Arnold (L) attends a training session at Tottenham Hotspur's training ground in Enfield
Trent Alexander-Arnold has a point to prove for England(Image: (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP via Getty Images))
Emile Heskey has called upon Trent Alexander-Arnold to show he is deserving of a place in the England national team, after the former Liverpool star was left out of the first game of the international break against Spain.
The Real Madrid ace made his return to the Three Lions setup this month for the first time since March, after he was snubbed by head coach Thomas Tuchel for this summer's World Cup.
That was despite several injury-and-form-related issues being present within the player pool at right-back, with the manager seemingly trusting other options instead.
With those concerns still present for the September and October internationals, Tuchel decided to call upon Alexander-Arnold once again, stating that he had made an impressive start to the campaign with Real Madrid - despite the clear challenges he still faces to cement a place in the starting lineup.
While the manager has since made it clear that the defender has to take the opportunity while it is there, he has since opted for Jarell Quansah at right-back for England's clash with Spain.
Alexander-Arnold was left on the bench as the Three Lions lost 3-2 to the world champions, with Tuchel later explaining that Quansah had shown him the quality in training and with his past performances to feature there.
In light of that, former Liverpool striker Heskey has called upon Alexander-Arnold to show he can feature regularly for England, with three important UEFA Nations League games coming up for the defender.
He said on TalkSPORT: "Every forward knows that if you drag a central defender into a wide area, they don’t want to be there. Right back is not the ideal position for Jarell Quansah.
Trent Alexander-Arnold of England sits on the substitutes' bench during the UEFA Nations League match between England and Spain
Thomas Tuchel has explained his decision to start Jarell Quansah over Alexander-Arnold(Image: (Photo by Maynard Manyowa/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images))
"But you have to be showing enough in training before games to prove you deserve to be on the pitch. And that is for Trent to do. You would expect some things to change in the next three games."
It remains to be seen whether Tuchel will opt for Alexander-Arnold in the coming matches, and whether the defender will have shown enough in training to get the nod, but there is an expectation that he will feature in some capacity.
A double-header against Czechia and either side of a match against Croatia would suggest that an opportunity will arrive, with games that may suit his quality on the ball, compared to a clash with Spain that may have required a more defensive profile in the backline.
Should that come about, it will be up to the 27-year-old to prove he is capable of featuring regularly under Tuchel, with competition for a place at right-back only likely to ramp up when players like Reece James and Tino Livramento are fit and available once again.
All eyes will be on the manager's selection, and what it could mean for Alexander-Arnold's long-term future with the Three Lions.