Trent Alexander-Arnold's omission from the England squad is a hammer blow with the Euros three months away... the Liverpool defender can take inspiration from Luke Shaw and John Stones' recalls but time is against him

It seemed Trent Alexander-Arnold’s season had reached its low point a while ago.

Substituted as Liverpool lost at Southampton in January, he sat rather hollow-eyed on the bench as it emerged that 38 of his passes went astray that night.

Since then, the 22-year-old’s form has improved somewhat, even if Liverpool’s has not.

But then came Thursday's hammer blow, delivered in a morning phone-call from Gareth Southgate. Just three months before the start of the European Championship, Alexander-Arnold was out of the England squad.

And worse was to come.