Gary Neville used Liverpool players as examples when being critical of England’s performance against Scotland at Euro 2020.
The TV pundit told ITV Sport on Saturday afternoon that England’s problem wasn’t their midfield, but their fullbacks – Reece James and Luke Shaw – who lacked the creativity going forward.
Liverpool have an industrious midfield with a lot of their creativity coming from their marauding fullbacks – Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson.
And Neville suggested the Three Lions needed a bit more of what Liverpool see out on their flanks at Wembley against the Scots.
“I have watched Liverpool for the last three of four years without any real creative midfield players,” said Neville. “Fabinho, Henderson and Wijnaldum.
“But their creativity comes from their wide areas. For me, the biggest problem (against Scotland) was that James and Shaw didn’t deliver the creativity I thought they would.
“Liverpool have been able to find a way through their fullbacks. Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold. I expected Shaw and James to be the creators.
“So, I am not concerned about Rice and Phillips because they kept a clean sheet. He (Southgate’s) not going to change.”
But Liverpool supporters have pointed out that it wasn’t long ago on Sky Sports that Neville was saying he wouldn’t pick TAA for certain games at the Euros – or, at the time, for the opener against Croatia.
Initially, many thought that the Reds academy product was going to be left out of Southgate’s final squad for the Euros after he was left out of the squads for the World Cup qualifiers in March.
But after a lot of rumours and debates, he was selected only for him to get injured in the first warm-up game leading up to the competition itself.
Southgate started with Kyle Walker as his right-back against Croatia, with the set-piece specialist, Kieran Trippier out on the left.
But both were changed for the visit of the old enemy, and in truth, neither of their replacements had a great game.
Nonetheless, here is a selection of Liverpool fans reacting to Neville’s comments:
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