Gerrard questions Southgate’s decision to leave out player

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard questions Gareth Southgate’s decision to leave out a certain player following the latest England team selection.

Every time the Three Lions manager reveals who he has named in his squad, it causes plenty of debate, while many fans are left angered.

In the last few years, we have seen Southgate get experimental with plenty of new and surprising choices, while others breaking into the first team include youngsters coming through the ranks.

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has told of his disappointment at Southgate’s decision to drop Trent Alexander-Arnold from the England squad.

Unlike the Reds’ title winning season in 19/20, the full-back has struggled for a consistent run of form this season and as a result he was dumped out the squad, with Reece James, Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker being selected instead.

The decision came as a shock to Gerrard, but he insists Alexander-Arnold is still England’s best option at right-back and that he should have been selected.

Speaking on his reasons for omitting Alexander-Arnold, Southgate said: “There are some areas of the pitch where we have some incredible competition for places, and Trent is very unfortunate.

“I don’t think he has played at the level that he found in the last couple of years, but I think he is getting very close that now.

“In the last few weeks, he has definitely taken steps in the right direction. It’s simply that Reece James and Kieran Trippier have had exceptional seasons really with their clubs. Kyle Walker is in great form with Manchester City.

“There are other players in the league who are also playing well in that position, (Matty) Cash at Aston Villa and (Luke) Ayling at Leeds.

“We have two really good right-backs in the under-21s, so it’s a remarkable position of strength.”

Steven Gerrard has told Alexander-Arnold he is there if the right-back wants to talk, and advised him not to lose heart from this setback.

“One thing’s for sure, I’ll always be there for Trent,” Gerrard told SportsMail. “It goes without saying, any second of the day.

“I wouldn’t make the first move. He’s a man himself. He knows where he’s at. Gareth Southgate makes the decisions there.

“I don’t necessarily agree with that decision. But I’m not the England manager. I think Trent is the best English right-back in the country.

“One thing I’ve learned from being a player is you can’t always be 10 out of 10. When you do come off, you need that support, love and attention from your manager more than anyone else.

“So, I was surprised by the decision but that’s my opinion and my opinion is not important in this.

“Trent is a world-class right back, he’s the best right back the country has got. We’ve got other fantastic right backs by the way.

“But in terms of the loaded side of the question, I’m there for Trent and any of the other Liverpool players at any moment of the day.”

England squad:

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Manchester United), Sam Johnstone (West Brom), Nick Pope (Burnley).

Defenders: Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolves), Eric Dier (Tottenham), Reece James (Chelsea), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Kyle Walker (Manchester City).

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jesse Lingard (West Ham, on loan from Manchester United), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds), Declan Rice (West Ham), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton).

Forwards: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).

No heavy experimenting ❌

Gareth Southgate is not expected to make major changes during the international break with such little time to go until #Euro2020 pic.twitter.com/PE8SCJpbhv

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) March 23, 2021

Fans reacted as Steven Gerrard questions Gareth Southgate’s decision to leave out the Liverpool player…

@ALfc_11: Steven Gerrard is bang on about Trent . He’s the best Right back in prem and probs Europe . Absolute joke southgate left him out of squad. Tells you more about wat a shit manager he is. Boring twat who plays 6 holding midfielders in his system. Embarrassing

@haggbag: He’s prob the best offensively but I really don’t rate him defensively.

@markbennett281: hardly been the best right back this season

@LFitzy05: He’s the only one who is world class. End of story

@Iam_Haunt: Not quite Reece James tho

@footballlfc3690: He’s levels above him

@Sobur23: He’s totally not biased

@FrancisLaye: Always remember, class is permanent… form is temporary. TAA is world class 👏

@paul_grech: Steven Gerrard laying the groundwork by defending his future Liverpool captain…

@Alovesupreme9: Nobody really disagrees with that. Trents form the past fortnight has improved but in all honesty he’s been well off it up till that point. He has the next 2 months to prove his worth, I’m good with that, we need him to have the extra motivation.

@untroublesome: Southgate has been really found out on this one and I trust it is the beginning of the end.

@TheKlopptimist: Forget about him saying Trent is the best (he’s right but he’ll get accused of bias), the other bit is much more important – Southgate has more than a decade more experience than Gerrard, but he’s being taught a lesson in how to manage a top player. Southgate is so mediocre.

@Louis_Loughlin: The most bizarre decision to leave him out if the England squad think there’s more to it than what’s being said tbh.

@Robbins_111: 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 he is fuckin not

@Owens_EFC: hes been truly awful this season, previously youdve been able to overlook his awful defending ability because van dijk would bail him out, and he’d get shit loads of assists. this season, spamming crosses doesnt work and van dijks got no leg, so all youve got is a bad footballer

@sid_sollis: 😂😂😂😂😂😂 stick to Scottish football stevie

@robsuthers_: Wan Bissaka is miles clear imo

@AdamWaterss: England squads are picked off form and this season he hasn’t had a good one, so its only right to drop him when theres other right backs like reece james having blinder seasons, he needs to work on his defensive ability more aswell

@scottlandwalker: Far from the best English right back this season, gets done by every clubs left winger week in week out. Gerrard has a better right back at his club in Tav.

@EmmetDocDoherty: The state of this prick 🤦‍♂️

“He’s the best right-back the country has got.”

Steven Gerrard has spoken about Trent Alexander-Arnold. Who do you think is the best English right back currently? 🤔

— FUN88 (@fun88eng) March 23, 2021

https://t.co/ucmLv5acgJ pic.twitter.com/QJ321Yna3x

— CHAMPION Ryan Jack 🏆 (@RampantRyanJack) March 22, 2021