Trent Alexander-Arnold recalled by England but with a warning from Thomas Tuchel

Thomas Tuchel has told Trent ­Alexander-Arnold he must bring defensive solidity to the England squad after giving him a surprise recall for the upcoming Nations League matches.

The head coach has selected the Real Madrid right-back only once before – for the games against Andorra and Senegal in June last year. Tuchel made headlines when he did so by urging Alexander-Arnold to focus on the defensive side of his game or risk a slip that could undermine the team’s World Cup campaign.

Tuchel used him as a 64th-­minute substitute against Andorra and ­Alexander-Arnold was out of the ­picture by the time England went to North America for the tournament. He is now back, despite starting only three of Madrid’s seven matches this season and largely going under the radar with his performances. Tuchel’s message to him has not changed.

“He has to, it’s necessary,” Tuchel said when asked whether Alexander-Arnold offered enough defensively. “My conviction is that he will but he has no choice.”

Tuchel continues to see ­Alexander-Arnold, who is famed for the range of his passing, as a right-back rather than a midfielder. The head coach has previously said he has Tino ­Livramento and Jarell ­Quansah ahead of Alexander-Arnold in the right-back pecking order. He has named both of them in the squad for the games against Spain (home), Czechia (home and away) and ­Croatia (away).

Tuchel has been unable to include his first-choice right-back, Reece James, or Djed Spence, who can operate in either full-back ­position, because of ­injuries. Ben White is also injured; Tuchel said he would have ­considered him. The centre-half Ezri Konsa, who is in the squad, has played at right-back.

Tuchel said he had spoken to ­Alexander-Arnold to tell him he would not go to the World Cup but had not called him this time. “He heard the good news over the ­nomination,” he said. “I am not sure a lot of things have changed. I know what he is capable of. I know about his talent. I know what he is saying: that he is desperate to play for ­England and he will fight for his shirt. It’s a long camp and it’s a good moment to show up. It’s a chance for Trent to claim what he feels is his – his place on the right side. So here we go.”

Alexander-Arnold was the ­headline selection on a day when Tuchel gave further recalls to ­Jarrad Branthwaite, Lewis Hall, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Alex Scott, Cole Palmer and ­Dominic ­Calvert-Lewin. He also included Rio Ngumoha. Dean ­Henderson, John Stones, Dan Burn and Jordan ­Henderson miss out because of injury. Noni Madueke, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney have been dropped.

Tuchel overlooked Levi Colwill, Adam Wharton, Phil Foden and Morgan Gibbs-White. Nor was there a recall for Harry Maguire. Tuchel gave the defender hope of ­involvement at the World Cup when he selected him against Uruguay and Japan in March before he ignored him for the tournament. It drew an outspoken response, Maguire using social media to pronounce himself “shocked and gutted”. His mother, Zoe, said she was “disgusted” by the decision.

Of Maguire’s reaction, Tuchel said: “I will not hold it against him for the rest of his life because I’m not that type of person. I can forget easily and quickly. But I didn’t like it and it doesn’t help.”