"Until I retire, I'm still an England player, whether I'm selected or not. I'm always available if and when the manager needs me. There's no bigger honour," Trent Alexander-Arnold said, and that is the line England must weigh up before Friday's squad announcement. Thomas Tuchel has already said the defender leans too heavily on attacking output and needs more from the defensive side.

England's squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures is announced on Friday, with Trent Alexander-Arnold still trying to force his way back in after being left out of England's World Cup squad. His last appearance came in a 1-0 victory over Andorra in June 2025.

Tuchel's defensive warning

Tuchel's public line is not subtle. "I can see that sometimes he relies heavily on his offensive contributions, and gives not so much emphasis on the defensive discipline and effort," he said, and then added that if Trent wants the same impact for England that he had for Liverpool, "he has to take the defensive part very seriously."

That view is backed by the way the Madrid move has gone so far. Real Madrid have won four of their last five matches, but Trent's league rating there is 6.25, which does not shut the door on selection doubts. England have also won four of their last five, so Tuchel is asking for a specific defensive standard rather than looking for a rescue job.

The case Trent is making

Trent's own position is straightforward. He says he remains an England player until he retires, and he also made clear how he felt after missing out before. "I'll be honest, I was full of hope. When I put the phone down, I was properly gutted," he told the Mirror, adding that he hoped the coaching staff would understand he was angry.

The quality argument has not gone away. Danny Murphy has said Liverpool's full-backs are struggling, with Jeremie Frimpong only three appearances into the season and Conor Bradley not expected back until November after knee surgery earlier in the year. Murphy also argued Liverpool do not have "anywhere near the same quality" they were used to with Trent going forward.

Friday brings the next answer. England's squad goes out then, and Trent's name will either be in it or still waiting for Tuchel's defensive standard to be met.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →