Liverpool FC boss Jurgen Klopp has revealed that he was left shocked over the snub to Trent Alexander-Arnold by the England gaffer Gareth Southgate for the recently concluded international break.
The Reds full-back was notably omitted from the 23-man squad that took part in the World Cup qualifiers with the likes of Kyle Walker and Reece James pipping Arnold who has endured a rough patch of form this season.
Speaking to reporters in his press conference, as reported by the Daily Mail, ahead of the Merseyside Reds welcoming Arsenal to Anfield on Saturday in the high-billed fixture, Klopp expressed his surprise at seeing Arnold’s exclusion from the England fold despite him establishing the standout full-back status in world football over the past couple of campaigns, according to the German coach.
‘So I was surprised when he didn’t get the call up,’ said Klopp.
‘I didn’t plan at all with him. We had sessions planned for after the call-ups when players who were going on their national duties had time off and Trent was in that group — just to show how surprised I was about it.
‘I make decisions every day, every weekend about team and squad selections. We always make decisions that other people probably do not understand.
‘I respect that Gareth makes his own decisions but I didn’t understand it because Trent Alexander-Arnold was in the last two seasons — let me say the season before and the season before that — the standout right back in world football. That is the truth and at an unbelievable young age.
‘I’ve no problem if my players get criticism. They can get it from me, they can get it from other people. He was the standout right back in world football. He started the season with Covid early on which is not good. It took him a while to get into the season but, from that moment he was one of our most consistent players. So that cannot be the reason.’
‘It is about how you want to play.’
‘That is the thing Gareth has to make sure. He has Kyle Walker, an outstanding right back who can play centre back. Reece James — big talent, absolutely, Aaron Wan-Bissaka was not there as well and Kieran Trippier who he knows better or longer.
‘So that is the situation. It is his decision, It is about how you want to play. If you want to play against a deep defending side, then, for sure, the crosses and the passes of Trent. I don’t know anybody who can do that like him. I know he wants to be in the England squad and he will try to be there again.’
