Revealed: Thomas Tuchel had 'difficult' phone call with Trent Alexander-Arnold to inform defender of England axe with Three Lions boss keen to make squad 'more spicy'

Alexander-Arnold’s omission comes after a stuttering start at Real Madrid. The former Liverpool full-back played 68 minutes in Los Blancos' La Liga opener and was subsequently benched for Madrid’s win over Real Oviedo last weekend, with veteran Dani Carvajal still holding his spot despite being 33.

Tuchel revealed he personally rang Alexander-Arnold and said, "I spoke to Trent. It was a difficult phone call but I wanted him to hear it from me. Which he appreciated and he was very clear that he’s desperate and keen to come back and play for England. 

“It’s all in the mix but it is a competitive decision. And just to make the competition a little bit more spicy. First and foremost, I think Trent is a player who needs to feel trust and love from his manager and team-mates and from his club, his country and the fans. He needs that."

Tuchel insisted James & Livramento are ahead of Alexander-Arnold in the pecking order and even Arsenal’s Ben White would have been in the squad if not for a fresh injury.

“Reece is at the moment slightly ahead in this position, given what he did for us in the last two camps and how he played the CWC with Chelsea. And then we went for Tino Livramento because of the rhythm that he has and he gives us the option to cover both sides," he added.

“Ben White had a very good chance to be with us. I was very happy with his preseason and the feedback I got from him and from the club about his preseason. He started, straight away got injured, that ruined his chances with us. He would’ve had a very good chance with us."

England face Andorra at Villa Park on September 6 before travelling to Serbia on September 9. One thing is certain: Tuchel wants edge, bite, and “spice” in his team. And for Trent, the message is brutal: step up or risk being left behind.