Jurgen Klopp cannot 'understand' why Trent Alexander-Arnold was snubbed by England

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was shocked that Anfield favourite Trent Alexander-Arnold was overlooked by England manager Gareth Southgate for the World Cup qualifiers played last week, and has claimed that he did not ‘understand’ why the right-back wasn't selected.

Alexander-Arnold’s form has let him down this season, with the 22-year-old failing to replicate the incredibly high standards he set for himself over the previous two campaigns.

Alexander-Arnold was arguably the best right-back in the world in 2019 and 2020 | Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images

In addition to a drop in his own level, Alexander-Arnold has also suffered because of the competition for places at right-back in the England squad. Not only does Southgate have established internationals Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier vying for selection, Reece James has also emerged as one of Chelsea’s best and most important players over the last few months.

It also puts Alexander-Arnold’s place in England’s delayed Euro 2020 squad in jeopardy this summer, but Klopp insists he cannot get his around why his player was snubbed.

"If Trent Alexander-Arnold is not in the squad then England must have an extremely good squad. I was surprised when he didn't get the call-up. I respect the decision, of course I do. But I didn't understand it,” Klopp is quoted as saying by BBC Sport.

“I respect that Gareth makes his own decisions, of course, but I didn't understand it anyway because Trent Alexander-Arnold was in the last two seasons at least, let me say the season before and the season before that, the stand out right-back in world football.

Jurgen Klopp is backing his Liverpool player | Pool/Getty Images

“That is the truth and at an unbelievable young age.

"He started the [2020/21] season with Covid and you can imagine it took him a while to get into the season. But, from the moment when he was in the season, he was one of our most consistent players and a stand-out player. He could play all the time, high level all these types of things, so that cannot be the reason that he was not in the squad.”


For more from Jamie Spencer, follow him on Twitter and Facebook!


Source : 90min