“I can’t believe how bad he is” – Roy Keane Slams England Star for His Performance in Win over Finland

Manchester United legend Roy Keane has criticized England defender Trent Alexander-Arnold for his performance in the UEFA Nations League victory over Finland. Keane said the Liverpool right-back was poor at the back and would get “found out” against higher-quality opponents.

Trent Alexander-Arnold Helped England Beat Finland

Lee Carsley’s England took on Finland on Matchday 4 of the UEFA Nations League B on Sunday afternoon (October 13). The Three Lions took control of the game early on in Helsinki, with Jack Grealish firing his team into the lead in the 18th minute. England had opportunities to add to their advantage but could not make them count in the first half.

The second goal finally arrived in the 74th minute, courtesy of a gem of a free kick from Alexander-Arnold. About 25 yards away from the Finnish net, Alexander-Arnold dispatched a curler with his right foot and found the top-left corner. Declan Rice added the third for England in the 84th minute before Arttu Hoskonen bagged a consolation goal for Finland.

Roy Keane Criticizes Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Defensive Showing

Reviewing the match on ITV Sport, Keane first hailed Alexander-Arnold for his decision-making and passing ability. He then quickly reminded everyone that these skills would not make up for his shortcomings as a defender.

Keane said:

“You give time to Trent, his decision making, his quality passing, he’s fantastic.

“But honestly, I can’t believe how bad he is defensively, and against better teams, of course, he’ll be found out. If you saw him the other night defending [against Greece on Thursday], it looked like he’d never played right-back before!”

This is not the first time Alexander-Arnold has come under fire for failing to fulfill his defensive responsibilities. Due to his defensive shortcomings, Kyle Walker was Gareth Southgate’s right-back of choice for almost the entirety of his tenure. His successor, albeit interim, Carsley is also showing a similar trend.

In a recent interview, Alexander-Arnold said he wanted to work on his defending ability and had asked Arne Slot to help him fulfill his potential. It will be interesting to see if the Dutchman can give Alexander-Arnold the support he needs to evolve into a brilliant, all-rounder of a right-back.