Trent Alexander-Arnold has conceded he "found it a lot more difficult" in midfield during England's rout of Andorra, while revealing the decision to move him from his usual full-back position was an "experiment" from Gareth Southgate.
Alexander-Arnold has spent his entire career as a right-back for Liverpool, making a huge contribution in both defence and attack to help Jurgen Klopp's side win Premier League and Champions League honours.
The 22-year-old has also occupied that spot at international level, but it has been suggested his long-term future could lie further up the pitch and Southgate put that theory to the test in the Three Lions' latest World Cup qualifying fixture.
What has been said?
Alexander-Arnold completed 81 per cent of his passes from midfield as England earned a 1-0 half-time lead against Andorra at Wembley, with Jesse Lingard grabbing the goal.
The Liverpool star also managed one shot on target, but he was shifted back into defence for the second period and Southgate's side ended up winning 4-0 thanks to another Lingard effort, a Harry Kane penalty and a Bukayo Saka header.
Alexander-Arnold has now admitted he struggled to adapt to the new position, telling talkSPORT: "It’s a new role for me, a bit different, I think there’s been a lot of questions being asked whether I can or cannot play in there and a lot of opinions being voiced over the last few weeks.
“It was an experiment the manager wanted to try out, but it was difficult to get on the ball for me, I found it a lot more difficult to get on the ball in those spaces, but whether I’m starting in there or starting right back I think naturally I just find myself drifting into midfield, getting the ball and affecting the game.
“The second half we changed the system a little bit and I was able to find a lot more space and get time on the ball and get in positions that were fairly similar to playing in midfield anyway.”
Alexander-Arnold's international record
Alexander-Arnold's appearance against Andorra marked his 14th cap for England and his first international outing since sustaining a thigh problem in a friendly win over Austria in June.
The Reds talisman missed the European Championships as a result of the injury, and had to make do with a place on the bench behind Chelsea's Reece James for the Three Lions' first World Cup qualifying win of the international break against Hungary last week.
Alexander-Arnold will be back in contention for a place in Southgate's line-up when England travel to Poland on Wednesday night.
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