“He can’t defend!” - Roy Keane warns Gareth Southgate about England superstar who ‘can’t smell danger’ ahead of Euro 2024

Football pundit Roy Keane has warned England head coach Gareth Southgate of Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Manchester United legend believes Alexander-Arnold cannot defend and would be an issue in big games at the 2024 UEFA EURO.

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Kenae stated that playing Alexander-Arnold in the midfield against the big teams would be a mistake as they would ease past him. He added that the England manager needs to know when and where to use the Liverpool star and said:

"You can't play him in there [midfield] against one of the top teams. In one or two of the group games you get away with it, but if you play Trent in there against one of the top nations, defensive side of the game we are talking about, he can't defend. I think Trent, against the real top teams - France or Germany, whoever it may be, in the knockout games - if you are playing Trent in there [midfield], defensively, he can't defend!"

He added:

"In midfield, you have to defend in midfield. I don't think he's got... defensively, he dangles his leg in. Look back at the Everton game - he's not aggressive in defensive situations. On the ball, I love him - absolutely love him. But at that level we are talking about, the knockout games - England will obviously get through the group - if Trent gets in there and gets asked to do a defensive job for England against a really good team [he'll struggle]."

Keane continued:

"I watch every game he plays for Liverpool, whether he's right-back or comes into midfield, and Trent Alexander-Arnold can't smell danger. I get that putting him in midfield means he's higher up the pitch, and he has the security behind him, but as a defender, you still want players running at you the whole time. They'll get away with it against the lesser teams, but if he plays in there, all the best."

Manchester City star Kyle Walker is expected to play as the right-back for England at Euros ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold. The former Tottenham Hotspur defender has done well under Pep Guardiola as the Cityzens won the Premier League title for a fourth consecutive season this term.

England announce provisional squad for EURO 2024

Gareth Southgate announced his 30-man provisional squad for EURO 2024 on Tuesday, May 21. The Three Lions will face Iceland and Bosnia and Herzegovina in warm-up games ahead of the tournament in Germany.

Marcus Rashford, Ben White, Ben Chilwell, Reece James, Fikayo Tomori, Dominic Solanke, and Jordan Henderson were the notable omissions from the squad. Four players from the 30-man list will also miss out as Southgate can only take 26 players to Germany.

The current squad has five uncapped players in Liverpool's Curtis Jones and Jarell Quansah, Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite, Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton and Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford.