Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool are two of the Premier League’s top teams, and plenty of their players have been on international duty over the past week.
Spurs have enjoyed a renaissance under Ange Postecoglou this season and are challenging for a top-four spot, while Jurgen Klopp‘s Reds are fighting for the Premier League title.
With the international break finally behind us, it’ll be exciting to see how Tottenham and Liverpool fare in the run-in, with so much at stake.
Then, at the end of the season, Spurs and the Reds are set to contribute a number of players to teams that will be playing at Euro 2024.
Tottenham playmaker James Maddison is likely to make the England squad for the tournament in Germany, as is Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The latter has made clear his intention to play in midfield for the Three Lions, telling FourFourTwo: “For England, I’d say I’m now a midfielder and that’s something that really excites me
“It gives me the opportunity to get into the team. I think if it’s working, then long term I don’t see a reason to change that.”
Who gets in the England starting XI between James Maddison and Trent Alexander-Arnold?
With Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice likely to be mainstays in the England starting XI – and Kobbie Mainoo staking a late claim – Maddison could well be up against Alexander-Arnold for a spot.
Now, BBC Sport pundit Chris Sutton has delivered his verdict on which of the two he’s rather see in the England starting line-up. And it’s a win for the Spurs man.
“Bukayo Saka is on the right flank in my team but Phil Foden has to be in there somewhere – I’ve put him on the left – and the big decision was who gets the extra midfield spot,” wrote Sutton.
“I want to be attack-minded but I’m not putting Trent Alexander-Arnold in there, I’m going with James Maddison.”
Maddison has been a revelation for Tottenham since his £40million move from Leicester City last summer. He brings to the Spurs team what Christian Eriksen brought and what they’ve missed for years.
Meanwhile, Alexander-Arnold is a world-class full-back and midfielder, so his versatility will certainly stand him in good stead for the Euros.
We’ll see who gets those coveted midfield slots in one of the most star-studded England teams we’ve had since the golden generation of the noughties.