England World Cup latest: Jamie Carragher 'unsurprised' by Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harry Maguire snub after Tino Livramento injury

Jamie Carragher has admitted he 'isn't surprised' that Thomas Tuchel has called up Trevor Chalobah as Tino Livramento's World Cup replacement over Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Livramento has been ruled out of the tournament on the eve of England's opening game against Croatia after sustaining a calf injury in training, with Chelsea defender Chalobah drafted in as his replacement despite not being a like for like swap.

Alexander-Arnold was among several high-profile omissions from Tuchel's squad, having struggled to impress the German manager. Tuchel's reluctance to call upon him even in times of need has only reinforced doubts over his trust in the Real Madrid star.

However, Carragher believes that Alexander-Arnold's supposed 'deficiencies' defensively have led to Tuchel turning to the Chalobah as the replacement.

"We know Thomas Tuchel’s stance regarding Trent," he told Sky Sports. "When you look at some of the players in the squad it looks as though he’s picking centre-backs who can do a job at right-back rather than out and out right-backs. We know there’s the special qualities that Trent Alexander-Arnold has.

"That’s why Real Madrid wanted him. The reason why Liverpool supporters were so upset to lose him. The qualities Trent has, and maybe the deficiencies is maybe why Tuchel hasn’t picked him. He’s looking at the negatives instead of the positives.

"The way he wants to set his team up, maybe the strengths don’t get amplified as much in a Tuchel team as they do a Jurgen Klopp team. I wouldn’t say I’m overly surprised that he hasn’t gone for Trent.

"I said a few weeks ago that he’s picking team harmony, togetherness and spirit over quality and talent. I think this is another decision that proves that.”

'Maguire comments on exclusion may have harmed his chances'

Carragher himself has experience of being called in as a last minute inclusion for a World Cup, having done so in 2010. The former Liverpool defender came out of international retirement after some persuasion from Fabio Capello as Rio Ferdinand and Ledley King picked up injuries ahead of the tournament.

The man himself believes Chalobah's situation is less similar to what it would've been had Harry Maguire been called up to the squad due to the Manchester United man's experience.

Maguire was the first player to announce he hadn't been called up to the initial squad, expressing his shock on social media. Speaking on The Rest of Football podcast, the 2021 European Championship finalist spoke on the conversation he had with Tuchel when he found out he wouldn't be part of the group.

"I thought I did enough to be in the squad," he said. "I thought I could have helped the lads out there. I thought I would still have had a part to play on the pitch, and off the pitch as well.

"He [Tuchel] FaceTimes everyone. It's quite an awkward call. Something got released in the media about half an hour before I got told that my place was in doubt. That was the most frustrating thing.

"It was a surprise at the time. I said straight away that it was a surprise. I was really disappointed. We had a few words. Look, I'm quite a big personality. I'm experienced. It was an honest conversation between us both.

"He [Tuchel] really said that he can't really give me an excuse."

Carragher though believes Maguire's outspoken nature may have hurt his chances of being turned to after Livramento's injury.

"A right-back has gone out so I don’t think he was going to pick an out and out centre-back. That’s what Harry Maguire is," he added.

"I’m not saying Chalobah is a right-back, but if there was an emergency could he do a job there more than a typical centre-half like Maguire? I’d say probably, yes.

"Having seen Maguire’s comments over the last couple of days, that's understandable. Every player feels they could’ve made the difference. I’m sure the argument he put to Tuchel on FaceTime was the same every other player did.

“When he talks about England tournaments and doing well after the last 10 or 12 years, there’s very few who knows about that better with how he was involved with Gareth Southgate.

"I always thought it was a bit of a long shot. He came into the squad late. Again I’m not massively surprised. Maybe his comments or his family comments may have been on the coaching staff’s mind. It was probably better to keep that to yourself. There was still another Premier League game. Someone could’ve gotten injured."

Carragher names England XI for Croatia opener

Carragher also made some big choices in naming his starting XI for England's opening game against Croatia on Wednesday night.

The big debate has been whether Jude Bellingham or Morgan Rogers will start as the number 10, and Carragher opted for the former to take centre stage.

"I don’t think there’s many people in the country that would say Morgan Rogers is a better player than Jude Bellingham. Rogers has been fantastic for Aston Villa but Bellingham is a superstar," he said.

"I said a few weeks ago that I thought Rogers would start. I just thought Tuchel was picking players that maybe others maybe wouldn’t have picked. He’s not scared to make big decisions.

"Rogers has been fantastic under Tuchel. Bellingham hasn’t really gotten going. But, I think if Bellingham is there and fit, he plays in the number 10 position behind Harry Kane."

Carragher also went for Anthony Gordon on the left instead of Marcus Rashford and had Ezri Konsa partnering Marc Guehi at the back, leaving out John Stones.

"With Rashford and Gordon, both are in competition with each other for a place at Barcelona. Gordon got the nod with Barcelona and I think in the last warm up game, he played really well.

"I think people expect the manager to pick Stones. I do think he will play. If you’re going to put him in the squad when he hasn’t played much football, he’s getting brought to play. I just think it’s a big ask for any player to play at the highest level of international football when he hasn’t played much this season.

"Konsa and Guehi have been some of the best centre-backs in the Premier League. If Stones had played 15-20 more games this season, I’d have him in there as first pick but I think we are asking a lot."