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Trent Alexander-Arnold seems unlikely to start England’s Euro 2024 semi-finals against the Netherlands on Wednesday night, as early team news has leaked.
England and the Netherlands will meet at Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park for an 8pm kickoff to decide who joins Spain in Sunday’s final.
It means Liverpool will at least be represented in the final, with Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez in the England squad and Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo all on Dutch duty.
However, while Van Dijk and Gakpo are certain to start for the opposition, England manager Gareth Southgate is not expected to turn to either Alexander-Arnold or Gomez.
According to the Telegraph, Southgate’s only likely change is to come at centre-back, with the returning Marc Guehi due to replace Ezri Konsa.
Expected England XI: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guehi; Saka, Rice, Mainoo, Trippier; Bellingham, Foden; Kane
Southgate’s 3-4-2-1 formation is set to stay, but the suggestion is that Bukayo Saka and Kieran Trippier will be retained as his wing-backs.
That means Alexander-Arnold – who scored the winning penalty against Switzerland to ensure progress to the semi-finals – will settle for a place on the bench.
Gomez has gone unused throughout the tournament and that is not set to change, with Southgate clearly favouring other options such as Konsa.
It also means that Luke Shaw will remain a substitute after making his first appearance of the tournament off the bench against Switzerland, offering the width Trippier has struggled to provide throughout.
Kyle Walker and John Stones should start with Guehi as three centre-backs, with Kobbie Mainoo and Declan Rice shielding in midfield.
Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham are therefore expected to keep their places as dual No. 10s in support of Harry Kane up top, despite calls for the striker to be dropped for Ivan Toney.
No Trent vs. Gakpo
The decision over Alexander-Arnold will deprive viewers of an interesting clash between him and Gakpo on England’s right-hand side, with the Liverpool forward in outstanding form so far.
Gakpo was ultimately not credited with the winner in Saturday’s 2-1 comeback victory over Turkiye, but is one of five players currently leading the Golden Boot race.
He has netted three times so far, with Spain’s Dani Olmo the only other player to do so who is still in the tournament, after Georgia’s Georges Mikautadze, Germany’s Jamal Musiala and Slovakia’s Ivan Schranz were all knocked out.
Bellingham, Kane, Donyell Malen and Fabian Ruiz have all scored twice, with Olmo (5/6) now the bookmakers’ marginal favourite to win the Golden Boot over Gakpo (11/4).
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