The first some heard of England’s latest midfielder was when they read Steven Gerrard’s autobiography. A Champions League winner with his hometown club was coaching at Liverpool’s academy and flagged up a youngster who would emulate him; just not by the name or in the position where he would achieve such success.
“Trent Arnold has a terrific chance of making it as a top professional,” Gerrard wrote. “He can play as a No 6, a holding midfielder, but he’s versatile.” So Trent Alexander-Arnold, as he became known, proved. He was voted into FIFPro’s World XI in 2020 but as a right-back. He was tipped to become one of the best right-backs ever by Cafu, himself a candidate for such a title.
And he was played in midfield by England against Andorra. The experiment was aborted after 45 minutes, when the game of musical chairs among right-backs continued as Reece James moved into midfield.
It was a harmless trial – if England could not test a theory against Andorra, when can they? – but it seemed to show that a converted midfielder is now a full-time right-back. “Clearly in the second half he has been in more of those positions where he felt more comfortable,” Gareth Southgate said. “Even though a lot of the time it was the same positions he was in in the first half but just he's coming onto things, he looked happier.”
Alexander-Arnold has become accustomed to seeing the match ahead of him. His finest moment as a midfielder was a 50-yard diagonal ball, an example of his wonderful passing range, but it came from a spot he tends to occupy as a right-back. As a midfielder, he was often bypassed and overshadowed by Jude Bellingham. Liverpool’s narrow tactics mean their full-backs can be afforded acres of room. Alexander-Arnold found it harder to find space in a congested midfield.
Perhaps it was a victory for Jamie Carragher over Gary Lineker. The 1986 World Cup Golden Boot winner argued last week: “The best passer in English football. He should be playing, like he did as a kid, in midfield.”
Carragher responded: “No, he shouldn’t, full-backs get more of the ball than anyone and a bit more time on it to pick out their passes. The way [Jurgen] Klopp sets up, he’s virtually a midfielder in possession anyway.”
England player ratings v Andorra
The notion of Alexander-Arnold as an English Kevin de Bruyne is seductive. The Belgian and the Englishman can be twinned at the top of the assist charts, each fashioning goals with magnificently menacing crosses. The fact that Alexander-Arnold, like De Bruyne, delivers some of his best balls from the inside-right channel shows he need not be tied to the touchline.
Given England’s lack of a midfield creator and luxury of riches at right-back, Alexander-Arnold appeared a fine solution on paper; on the pitch, however, it was another matter. That Southgate had originally named him among four right-backs in his Euro 2020 squad suggested his midfield bow might have come in a major tournament.
But, for the meantime, it may remain an idea. England have few friendlies. Klopp has no reason to copy them. Relocating Alexander-Arnold would remove a strength from his side, reducing their attacking armoury. There is a gulf in class to his understudy, Neco Williams. Play Joe Gomez there and he would not offer much going forward.
Now the precocious Harvey Elliott is excelling as the right-sided No 8, the role Alexander-Arnold had against Andorra. He has the potential to occupy it for years. And Klopp has won a Champions League and a Premier League without requiring midfielders with De Bruyne-esque assist numbers. Liverpool have no incentive to help England turn him back into a midfielder.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The five pillars of Islam
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
What is a black hole?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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BMW%20M4%20Competition
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Old Slave and the Mastiff
Patrick Chamoiseau
Translated from the French and Creole by Linda Coverdale
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Cases of coronavirus in the GCC as of March 15
Saudi Arabia – 103 infected, 0 dead, 1 recovered
UAE – 86 infected, 0 dead, 23 recovered
Bahrain – 210 infected, 0 dead, 44 recovered
Kuwait – 104 infected, 0 dead, 5 recovered
Qatar – 337 infected, 0 dead, 4 recovered
Oman – 19 infected, 0 dead, 9 recovered
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Champions parade (UAE timings)
7pm Gates open
8pm Deansgate stage showing starts
9pm Parade starts at Manchester Cathedral
9.45pm Parade ends at Peter Street
10pm City players on stage
11pm event ends
The biog
Hobbies: Writing and running
Favourite sport: beach volleyball
Favourite holiday destinations: Turkey and Puerto Rico
