Trent Alexander-Arnold’s World Cup hopes hit by Germany game omission

Gareth Southgate has cast doubt over Trent Alexander-Arnold’s World Cup hopes by leaving the defender out of England’s Nations League fixture against Germany on Monday night.

The Liverpool right-back is one of five players who have been omitted from the fixture as the competition’s rules mean Southgate must trim his 28-man squad down to 23 names on matchday. Jarrod Bowen, Fikayo Tomori, James Ward-Prowse and the suspended Jack Grealish have also been left out. Brentford striker Ivan Toney has been included and will hope to win his first cap when England play their final game before their World Cup opener against Iran on 21 November.

However, the absence of Alexander-Arnold has raised eyebrows and could mean England look increasingly likely to fly to Qatar without a player who is seen as one of the best in the world in his position. He was an unused substitute during last Friday’s 1-0 defeat to Italy and the fact that he will not feature again on Monday suggests he is running out of time to win Southgate over.

Alexander-Arnold, who has been a shaky presence in Liverpool’s defence this season, has rarely been at his best for England and has struggled to establish himself as one of Southgate’s regulars. The England manager has plenty of options in his position, with Kyle Walker, Reece James and Kieran Trippier all pressing for inclusion, and it appears that doubts over Alexander-Arnold’s defensive qualities are working against him.

Equally there is an argument that Southgate could solve his side’s creative woes by tapping into the Liverpool player’s outstanding passing and crossing. However, that looks an increasingly unlikely prospect. Southgate is expected to stick with his 3-4-3 system against Germany and