Roy Keane warns England against picking ‘really bad’ Liverpool star
Keane’s concern extends to any defensive role Alexander-Arnold might play in midfield. When it was suggested that his midfield position could mitigate his defensive weaknesses, Keane was dismissive.
“F**king hell! You have to defend in midfield!” Keane exclaimed. “Defensively, he dangles his leg in, he’s not aggressive in defensive situations. On the ball, he’s lovely, absolutely lovely, but at that level, in knockout games, if Trent’s asked to do a defensive job for England against a really good team…he doesn’t smell danger. I get that he’s higher up the pitch and he’s got that security behind him, but if he plays in there…all the best.”
Despite Alexander-Arnold’s skills with the ball, Keane insists his defensive shortcomings make him unsuitable for a midfield role in high-stakes matches.