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Thomas Tuchel has been told that Trent Alexander-Arnold should be in his starting line-up – at left-back – when next summer's World Cup comes around.
Alexander-Arnold was not selected in Tuchel's squad for the upcoming games against Serbia and Albania; he has not played for England since May, while his last start for his country came over a year ago.
The 27-year-old former Liverpool right-back was not available for international selection during the October international break due to injury, but he is currently fit and was available for selection for the current break. However, Tuchel obviously does not think he would be sufficiently match ready, having barely figured for Real Madrid since his move to the Spanish capital.
Alexander-Arnold has figured in each of Xabi Alonso's last four matchday squads, but he did not emerge from the bench in two of those games, and was a late substitute in the other.
Despite his lack of game time for club and country of late, former England boss Sam Allardyce has called on Tuchel to favor Alexander-Arnold at right-back during next summer's tournament in North America.
Laying out the starting XI he would choose if he were the England manager during the 2026 World Cup, Allardyce said: “The formation has to be a 4-3-3, but with a rotating front formation, which means the front players can rotate into each and every position to confuse the opposition.
"For example, if we play Cole Palmer on the left, he doesn’t have to stay there. Foden and Palmer can rotate, and they can react off each other.
“It’s freedom when they’re in possession, it means they don’t have to complain that they can only play down the left.”
Speaking on Footy Accumulators' No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, in partnership with BOYLE Sports, Allardyce added: “With that, the starting eleven has to be this: Pickford in goal, James, Stones if he’s fit, Guehi, and Trent at left-back.
"People might not like Trent in that position, but a right-footed winger plays on the left all the time and vice versa, and nobody moans about that, and he’s experienced.
“For midfield, it has to be Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham, if he’s actually trying. He might need a kick up the backside to get him going. It’d be hard not to include Foden in the midfield three as well.
“Then it’s Palmer, Saka, and it still has to be Harry Kane up front.”
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