Jamie Carragher has claimed that Newcastle United have a better defender than Arsenal man Ben White.
White has been in the news a lot lately after he turned down a call-up to the England squad, but Carragher doesn’t seem to think that it’s a particularly big issue for Gareth Southgate.
Speaking on The Overlap, Carragher claimed that Newcastle have a player who is better than him and ahead of him in the England pecking order.
Carragher impressed by Newcastle star
Kieran Trippier has gone through a bit of a difficult spell this season when he was making some key individual errors with the most noticeable against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup quarter final.
However, the 33-year-old has been one of if not the most important player for Newcastle in the last two years having dragged them from relegation and into the Champions League.
White has been a solid player for Arsenal, but Trippier offers so much in terms of leadership, defensive stability as well as attacking output with 10 assists in the Premier League this season.
As Carragher points out, you have to take the last three years or so into account rather than the last four months, and that’s exactly why Trippier should be ahead of White in the England team.
On White and Trippier, Carragher said: “Rightly so Ben White is fourth or fifth choice to be totally honest. He’s not better than Trent, Walker, Reece James or Trippier.
“Number one, he’s not going to play anyway. I don’t think so, he doesn’t even play centre-back for his club. He’s probably thinking he can relax and get ready for Arsenal.”
“I’m talking in general over the last two or three years, not over the last six months. Don’t just look at this from an Arsenal point of view, Trippier has had a bad three or four months but for the last two or three years he’s been a brilliant player for England.”
The Magpies have another top right-back
While Trippier has been one of Newcastle’s best players, the defender will be 34 this year and the Geordies will have to start thinking about their long-term future and how long he has left at the top.
However, they are very fortunate in that they have a perfect replacement ready to step in in Tino Livramento who has looked absolutely quality every time he has played for Newcastle.
There’s nothing to stop the former Southampton man from stepping up into that right-back role for England when Trippier and Kyle Walker eventually retire as he too is so good both defensively and going forwards.
It will be exciting to see how Eddie Howe uses him next season having impressed against some of the biggest teams during this campaign.
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