Trent Alexander-Arnold has been ruled out of Euro 2020 after sustaining a thigh injury in the closing stages of England’s 1-0 win over Austria on Wednesday. The Liverpool right-back is devastated by a setback which will keep him out for four to six weeks.
The Football Association said in a statement: “A scan on Thursday confirmed the 22-year-old will be unable to play in the forthcoming tournament so has withdrawn from the England squad to return to his club for rehabilitation.”
Gareth Southgate will not name a replacement until after Sunday’s game against Romania. James Ward-Prowse, Jesse Lingard and Ollie Watkins are most prominent on his standby list.
Ward-Prowse would appear to be the favourite, not least because Southgate originally selected only four pure central midfielders and one of those, Jordan Henderson, is a doubt for the opening match against Croatia on Sunday week.
The manager’s delay in confirming Alexander-Arnold’s replacement will ensure greater intensity in training from all the standby players, who Southgate has said will remain with the squad for the Romania match.
Alexander-Arnold was named in England’s 26-man squad for the finals after considerable debate over whether he would be selected. He was one of four right-backs included, with Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker and Reece James. Southgate revealed that he had told Alexander-Arnold three weeks earlier of his intention to include him.