Frank Christian
In a solid performance, Trent Alexander-Arnold enjoyed a profitable outing as England secured a 3-1 victory over Finland in the UEFA Nations League match held in Helsinki.
The Three Lions bounced back from their recent unexpected defeat to Greece, thanks to goals from Jack Grealish, Alexander-Arnold, and Declan Rice under interim manager Lee Carsley.
The match kicked off with an impressive 18th-minute goal, a result of a well-coordinated play between Angel Gomes and Grealish. However, it was Alexander-Arnold’s stunning 25-yard free-kick that truly highlighted the match.
Post-match, Grealish shared with ITV that he had playfully motivated Alexander-Arnold after Jude Bellingham earned a free-kick in a strategic spot.
“I jokingly said to him, ‘If you score this, I’ll give you 500 quid,’ and then he sent it right into the top corner,” the Manchester City forward noted. “I owe him now, and I think he’ll remind me of that.”
“If you score this, I’ll give you 500 quid”
How do you want the money delivered, @TrentAA?#ITVFootball | @gabrielclarke05 | @JackGrealish pic.twitter.com/2OAsfSqO3G
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) October 13, 2024
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Goals for England
The goal scored in Finland marked Alexander-Arnold’s fourth for the national team.
His first international goal was in a friendly against the United States back in November 2018, just a month after he celebrated his 20th birthday in a match that honored Wayne Rooney’s international career.
In June 2023, during Gareth Southgate’s now-discontinued midfield strategy, Alexander-Arnold scored in both a European Championship qualifier against Malta and a friendly match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
His latest performance as a left-back introduced yet another dimension to his role in the England setup, but Carsley indicated that experimenting outside of his preferred position may not continue.
“Trent’s talent is undeniable,” Carsley told ITV. “As long as he is in effective positions, he is a valuable player for us. It’s vital that we utilize players with such quality in ways that fit their strengths, and we certainly do that with Trent.”
