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LONDON. — England defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has been ruled out of Euro 2020 with a thigh injury.
The Liverpool right-back hurt himself in the closing stages of Wednesday’s friendly and a scan revealed he has suffered a quad tear.
The 22-year-old is expected to be sidelined for around six weeks and will return to his club for rehabilitation.
Manager Gareth Southgate will not name a replacement until after Sunday’s warm-up game with Romania.
Alexander-Arnold’s inclusion as one of four right-backs was one of the main talking points when Southgate named his squad last week, with the Liverpool player having missed the previous seven internationals.
England’s first game at Euro 2020 is against 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia at Wembley on Sunday 13 June.
Alexander-Arnold and Jack Grealish were the two symbols of a mixed night for Southgate, despite victory over Austria. Aston Villa’s captain may have had an ice pack wrapped around his shin but nothing could remove the broad smile on his face after he received a standing ovation as he was substituted from the Riverside Stadium crowd for his significant role in the 1-0 win.
If Grealish brought the joy to Southgate, there was a look of pure dejection on the face of Liverpool right-back Alexander-Arnold after he limped.
He suffered a thigh problem making a routine late clearance, attempting to run it off, eventually succumbing to the inevitable before walking around the pitch being consoled by members of England’s medical staff.
He even received a yellow card for coming back on to the pitch for a matter of seconds without permission to add insult to injury.
Alexander-Arnold excelled in the final weeks of the season while doubts persisted over his selection for the Euros, performing to a level that meant Southgate was prepared to name him as one of four right-backs in his 26-man squad.
“Always believe in yourself. Silence the doubters,” he tweeted after he was named in the squad, while Southgate talked up the qualities he could bring to England’s Euro campaign.
However, he will not be part of the show. — BBC Sport.
Online Reporter