Roy Keane tears into Trent Alexander-Arnold and explains why he will be ‘punished’ against ‘better teams’ – despite England star’s stunning free-kick goal against Finland

Roy Keane could not help but lambast Trent Alexander-Arnold for his defending despite his free-kick goal against Finland on Sunday night.

The Liverpool star doubled England’s lead with a gorgeous strike from 25 yards in the second half, helping Lee Carsley get back to winning ways.

Alexander-Arnold started at left-back as an experiment for the 3-1 win – as Mail Sport had forecasted – and went on the score a seven in this outlet’s player ratings.

Keane nodded to the goal but was far more eager to tear down the 26-year-old for his defending, which he believes could be calamitous against sterner opposition. 

‘Great technique, you can see his standing foot, technique is fantastic. No chance for the goalkeeper. I’m usually harsh on goalkeepers but I’ll go easy on that one,’ Keane said of the free-kick. 

The Man United legend claimed he ‘can’t believe how bad’ the Liverpool star is at defending

Alexander-Arnold curled in a free-kick from 25 yards to double England’s lead over Finland 

‘You give time to Trent, because his decision making and quality of passing is fantastic, but I can’t believe how bad he is defensively and against better teams he’ll be punished.

‘If you saw him the other night defending (against Greece), it looked like he’d never played right-back before!’

Alexander-Arnold has strung together four consecutive starts for the Three Lions, already a record for a man who has long been kept out by Kyle Walker.

Walker did not cover himself in glory against Finland, failing to convince in his battle against Aberdeen winger Topi Keskinen, and was handed a five in Mail Sport’s player ratings. 

Ian Wright was more encouraged by Alexander-Arnold but does not see him taking the left-back slot long-term.

‘I don’t think he did much defensively to make you say, “OK that’s the position he’s going to play”,’ he said.

‘But from a creative point of view, Lee Carsley wants as many creative players in the deep end of his football team as possible. I can’t see it being something that happens too frequently (Alexander-Arnold playing at left-back).’

Usually deployed at right-back, Alexander-Arnold has a huge few months ahead of him as he decides whether to stay at Liverpool or roll the dice and move, with Real Madrid his most notable admirers.

Alexander-Arnold has started four games on the bounce for the Three Lions, a personal record

While his role is nailed down at club level under Arne Slot, he is open-minded about being tactically toyed with on the international stage.

He told ITV Sport ahead of the Finland match: ‘I think the way we play suits the style of the way I view the game.

‘We’re not just dots on the pitch that have to stay in that exact space, it’s free roaming, it’s rotating, it’s coming in, coming out, and freedom.’