Jamie Carragher Defends Tino Livramento
Jamie Carragher has come to the defense of Tino Livramento amidst the ongoing conversation regarding Trent Alexander-Arnold’s exclusion from the England squad.
Thomas Tuchel, the manager of the Three Lions, stirred controversy last month by omitting Alexander-Arnold from his lineup for matches against Andorra and Serbia, favoring Livramento, Chelsea’s Reece James, Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Djed Spence from Tottenham.
Regarding this omission, Tuchel remarked, “I greatly admire Trent for both his skill and character. However, for this call-up, I opted for Reece James and Tino Livramento, who is an exceptional player and motivated to be here.” He emphasized competition as a factor in his selection.
James and Livramento were part of the starting lineup in the 5-0 victory in Serbia, with the Newcastle player impressing during the match. The ongoing debate about Alexander-Arnold’s limited selections at the international level remains a hot topic, particularly given his success at Liverpool.
Gary Neville criticized the decision to select Livramento over Alexander-Arnold, arguing that while he understood earlier omissions based on Walker’s performance, selecting Livramento now signals a shift. He noted, “Alexander-Arnold is now being overlooked for players like Livramento and Spence.”
In response, Carragher promptly countered Neville’s remarks by highlighting what Alexander-Arnold needs to address to regain his position. He stated, “Livramento is a quality full-back,” and remarked that the manager might be sending a message to Alexander-Arnold about the importance of defensive skills, emphasizing that improvement is crucial for his international prospects.
Carragher concluded that while both Livramento and Spence are talented, they may not reach the heights that Alexander-Arnold has with Liverpool, indicating a message from the manager: “Trent, I value your contributions, but you need to step up!”
