Gareth Southgate explains Trent Alexander-Arnold omission from Germany draw
Gareth Southgate has insisted that Trent Alexander-Arnold's omission from England's matchday squad for their clash with Germany will not impact his World Cup chances.
The Liverpool right-back was shockingly left out of Southgate's squad for Monday evening's game, with Reece James currently being the England manager's preferred choice on the right side of a back five.
Speaking prior to the 3-3 draw at Wembley Stadium to Channel 4, Southgate said of his decision: "It’s nothing to do with the World Cup.
"We have four right-backs with exceptional quality. Kieran Trippier is playing exceptionally well and Reece James has been one of the outstanding players in the league.
"We know Trent is a very, very good footballer and that’s why we picked him in the squad."
The exclusion of Alexander-Arnold from the matchday squad was one of the many squad decisions Southgate has been criticised for recently. Fikayo Tomori's omission from the squad and Harry Maguire's consistent inclusion in the starting lineup have also drawn ire from England fans.
Speaking about Maguire giving away a penalty in the game, Southgate said: "It is hard to tell from the side. It is the giving away of possession that is the problem, but look, as a group they have really come together this week. It has been a tough period for the team but they have grown.
"To an extent, we are always going to face pressure so we need to be exposed to pressure. We played a friendly against Ivory Coast in March and they went to ten men and it became a non-event and we learnt nothing. This week we've learnt a huge amount. They've had to step forward and come together - it will benefit us in the long run."