Gary Neville’s reaction before and after Trent Alexander-Arnold’s England winner speaks volumes

Gary Neville was on the ITV service as England cruised past Switzerland in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024. Scenes from the studio while the action unfolds on the pitch are usually unseen, but the broadcaster shared the tense moments of the shootout – and the expert’s reaction before and after Trent Alexander-Arnold’s penalty says a lot.

The pressure was on Alexander-Arnold, who had only been brought on by Gareth Southgate as a late extra-time substitute. After the fifth penalty, it turned out to be the decisive one: score, and England would go to the semi-finals.

Despite struggling to hit the ball all evening, Liverpool’s vice-captain converted emphatically, clearing the ball down the left. The response from Neville and his fellow pundits echoed in living rooms across the country and spoke volumes for how impressive the punishment really was.

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‘Who’s on the winning penalty,’ thought Neville, frantically going through the list of possible takers like almost everyone else. “Eze? Trent?

“Oh Trent, please, I’m absolutely praying for you,” he remarked as it became clear it would be Alexander-Arnold to step up. “Honestly, I am. He’s had a tough tournament, though.”

broke in Joleon Lescott, insisting it won’t be the end of the world if Alexander-Arnold misses out. Neville agreed but said it would be a “great moment” if the Liverpool man found the net after facing criticism.

That summed up the large amount of narrative that had rested on Alexander-Arnold’s shoulders. Southgate effectively made him the scapegoat of this tournament and was on everyone’s mind when he stepped up – a miss would have played into all the negativity, confirming in many minds the dim belief that he was the problem in this side of England. .

And it wasn’t just Neville who was praying. Even for someone as confident as the Liverpool man, the pressure was almost unbearable, heightened by the need to prove the doubters wrong.

But the former Manchester United right-back was soon exalted. He and the rest of the studio squealed in delight, relief etched all over their faces.

“Never in doubt,” said Lescott, with a small smile on his face. But Neville had definitely had his doubts.

It speaks volumes that Alexander-Arnold handled all that pressure so expertly. Neville was safe in the studio and almost falling apart, but the man who mattered kept his cool, showing the whole country what Liverpool already knew: he’s the real deal.

Liverpool.com says: It was a truly elite penalty from Alexander-Arnold. His mentality simply cannot be questioned.

Before the spot kick, Neville articulated the doubts and fears of an entire nation. But if it was nagging at Alexander-Arnold’s mind, you wouldn’t have known. It’s hard to believe he was such a marginal figure for England, with his mentality and talent among the best around.