‘It’s not a good sign to see him walk off as he did’: Gareth Southgate admits Trent Alexander-Arnold’s leg injury is a huge concern ahead of Euro 2020, with the full-back looking distraught after limping off in victory over Austria
- England have been dealt another injury scare ahead of the Euros this summer
- Trent Alexander-Arnold went down with a muscle issue on Wednesday evening
- The Liverpool star was unable to continue as England beat Austria 1-0
- England have been hit by concerns to Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson
- Gareth Southgate revealed Alexander-Arnold has picked up a thigh issue
Trent Alexander-Arnold was left fearing Euro heartbreak as he faces an anxious wait to discover whether he has to withdraw from the squad through injury.
The Liverpool star looked distraught as he limped off after suffering a thigh injury, worryingly with no one near him, with his hopes of remaining part of Gareth Southgate’s 26 man party hanging by a thread.
‘It’s not a good sign to see him walk off as he did,’ said head coach Gareth Southgate.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has given England an injury scare ahead of the Euros this summer
He went down with a muscular problem in the dying moments of the win over Austria
‘We are going to have a little look, we will have assess him in the next 24 hours. The medical team are assessing it, we are checking. Clearly not a good sign.
‘We don’t know the full extent but the last thing we wanted to see him come off the way he did.’
The injury provided a dramatic twist to what has been a roller-coaster few months on the international front for Alexander-Arnold.
He was axed from England’s squad for the start of the World Cup qualifying campaign a decision that left his place in Southgate’s Euro squad under serious doubt.
Alexander-Arnold appeared unhappy as he hobbled off the pitch in the latter stages
England defender and Wolves captain consoles Alexander-Arnold after his muscular knock
Alexander-Arnold, who couldn’t walk freely as he left the Riverside on Wednesday night, regained his place in the England squad for the tournament earlier this week but he is now facing the devastating prospect of missing out through injury.
Team-mate Bukayo Saka, who scored the winning goal against Austria, added: ‘It’s devastating, he has worked hard to earn his spot, it’s a shame. We hope it’s not too serious.’
Alexander-Arnold wasn’t the only injury concern on Wednesday night.
Jack Grealish, who only recently returned from a shin injury, required ice after his involvement in the game while Jordan Henderson, who hasn’t played since February due to a groin injury, remained on the bench despite Southgate saying on the eve of the match that he would be involved. Harry Maguire has only recently started running following an ankle injury.
Gareth Southgate revealed after the game his defender may have suffered a thigh problem
‘We hoped to involve Jordan but this morning he wasn’t so happy. We scanned him and that was all fine but we took the decision and he will resume training as normal,’ said Southgate.
On his team’s victory, Southgate added: ‘Thought we started very well against a very good team with very good players.
‘The first hour was good in terms of the quality. We needed to make changes and we looked a bit disjointed and we were hanging on at the end.’
On the smattering of boos that greeted England players taking the knee, Southgate said: ‘I did hear it, it’s not something, on behalf of our black players, we wanted to hear.
‘Some people think it’s a political stand but it isn’t. So I was pleased it was drowned out by the majority of the crowd.’
There was a mixed reaction of boos and applause after players took a knee before the game