Gary Lineker has suggested that England's decision not to pick Trent Alexander-Arnold indicates that Thomas Tuchel might not favour the former Liverpool star.
The former Three Lions skipper also proposed that the move could be a message, similar to what was done with Jude Bellingham in October. Lineker also noted reports that Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa didn't start Alexander-Arnold against Atletico Madrid after the player arrived late for a training session last week.
The right-back began Sunday's derby on the bench, though he came on and set up Vinicius Junior's winning goal. Arbeloa declined to provide any specific reason for sidelining Alexander-Arnold.
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Lineker said: "There were rumours, I think in Marca, the newspaper there ran it that he was late for one of the training sessions towards the end of this week and that's why he didn't start.
"Now, I don't know if that's true, but that's what Marca says.
"But for me, looking at the squad and the fact that he's not included in this squad when he's obviously been playing a bit now in Real Madrid, it suggests to me that Tuchel's not having him.
"If he suddenly plays brilliantly and they go on and win the Champions League and stuff, he'll probably be forced to put him in.
"But what I will say, I think without Trent it lessens your chances slightly, very slightly, like half a per cent, whatever.
"If you're 15 minutes to go and you're playing in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, or the semi-finals, and you're one-nil down, and he was on the bench, and you could put on that delivery and that passing ability, something completely different, I can't see why you wouldn't want that asset even if you don't see him as a starter because you're worried about him defensively.
"That would be my point, and I know I'm a huge Trent fan; he's given me a lot of joy watching him play, and his passing and his crossing over the years."
Alan Shearer also posed a question, he said: "Jude Bellingham and Trent are a pretty powerful couple.
"Would there be a point in Tuchel's mind where he thinks that if those two are not going to play together, either of them or one of them or one of the other, then they have an influence on the squad?"
Lineker disagreed, replying: "I think that would be bizarre. What I will say, what he might be thinking, is that he left Bellingham out, didn't he, in the previous squad, maybe to send a message, maybe he's leaving Trent out just to send another message.
"But we're getting quite close to the competition now. I don't know, I don't know whether they're problematic people to have in your side; what I do know is that they're two unbelievably talented and brilliant footballers that have delivered over recent seasons.
"It's impossible for us to know what the connection is or lack of connection between Tuchel and those players, what he thinks. There's only one man who decides; he picks the squad, it's up to him."
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