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With Gareth Southgate seemingly set on fielding his England side with a three-man defence at the World Cup, deciding between his wing-back options is perhaps one of the most important decisions the Three Lions gaffer will have to make. Antonio Conte’s utilisation of Victor Moses has debunked the idea teams need a ‘specialist’ wing-back to make the system work, but it’s clear England still need the right fit for those wide roles – players with power, stamina and a dose of offensive craft about them.

Southgate already has some fantastic options to choose from, but having seemingly decided that Kyle Walker will be counted more as a centre-back than a wing-back in his World Cup squad, there’s still a question mark lingering over the right-hand side. At first glance, Kieran Trippier is the obvious candidate, but there’s a new pretender on the block in the form of Liverpool’s hugely promising teenager Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Trippier, of course, offers greater experience and a more proven track record. Although even this season he’s not been guaranteed to start every game for Tottenham, sharing his No.2 berth with Serge Aurier, he now has 77 Premier League appearances under his belt alongside five caps for England – including an appearance last time out against Italy.

In contrast, Alexander-Arnold is yet to feature for the Three Lions at senior level and has made less career outings, just 45, than Trippier has in the Premier League. That inexperience has really shown at times too; for all the undoubted progress Alexander-Arnold made last season, it shouldn’t be forgotten that he’s committed some huge mistakes in key games – allowing Marcus Rashford to ghost into the space inside him to score twice during the most recent Northwest derby being perhaps the key example.

27-year-old Trippier has enjoyed a strong season too, only beaten for assists in Tottenham’s Premier League squad by four team-mates, and also offers that on-pitch relationship with Harry Kane. One expertly-whipped ball, which remains the strongest part of Trippier’s game, into the path of England’s star striker could be all the difference at the World Cup, particularly should the Three Lions get to the knockout stages.

But if Trippier does suffer from one weakness, it’s a lack of dynamism compared to many of his Premier League contemporaries – he’s fast without being lightening quick and sturdy without being particularly powerful. Alexander-Arnold, on the other hand, offers that extra dash of youthful athleticism and for this England team, that could be vitally important, perhaps even more important than experience.

After all, this England’s side greatest asset is how the three-man defence and Southgate’s insistence on playing out of the back leaves them capable of staging counter-attacks from practically every department; as soon as the front-line is bypassed and the midfield is drawn towards the ball, it takes only a couple of cute passes in tight areas for England to launch a breakaway. That mantra would seem to suit the 19-year-old a little better than the Spurs defender, fitting perfectly into the Three Lions’ starting-XI-spanning dynamism.

So, Three Lions fans, which player do you see as England’s best right wing-back option? Let us know by voting below…

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