Trent Alexander-Arnold didn't have any reservations about being included in the England World Cup team, according to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who also acknowledges that the right-back would have been devastated otherwise.

Gareth Southgate's decision to select the 24-year-old has been hotly contested for months, but it wasn't until Reece James' recent injury that the possibility of his selection increased.

Alexander-position Arnold's was confirmed on Thursday, and Klopp declared that he would be a valuable asset in Qatar.

Klopp added, "I'm not sure he was unsure, but with all the debates - at least the debates I watched - it was likely you don't pick four right-backs if all of them been eligible.

"I'm not sure why we're having this conversation, but it's okay. When given the option of four or five players, (Kyle) Walker is somewhat fit, and Reece James is plainly unavailable, I believe Gareth is delighted to have Trent on board.

"Trent accepted it; he's quite composed. He tries to develop and play the kind of football he does, but I believe he would have been dissatisfied if he hadn't been there.

The manager Klopp has consistently and predictably supported his player to compete at the greatest level despite ongoing criticism over his defensive weaknesses against the toughest opponents.

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The Liverpool manager has consistently emphasized that it is more crucial to concentrate on Alexander-abilities Arnold's than his limitations.

He does, however, think that the player's prior accomplishments, including becoming the youngest player to start three Champions League final (all in five years) at the age of 23 years and 233 days, speak volumes about his potential in high-stakes matches.

Klopp continued, "There is a lot of chatter about these kinds of things.

"I just heard Gary Neville say stuff about him not being capable of participating in the qualification matches, but Trent Alexander-Arnold is now 24 and he's won a lot of championships; that's a very crucial game in which you have to fight.

"We faced Chelsea in the Carabao and FA Cup finals the year before, and both finals were extremely stressful. Top-class players, world-class players at times—better players than those you face in the World Cup, like in the [Champions League] finals we did play against Tottenham as well as Real Madrid—and he has always been there, often defended well."

The last Premier League game just before World Cup will see Southampton's new head coach Nathan Jones' opening game in charge at Anfield.

Only seven Liverpool players, including Alexander-Arnold, will travel to Qatar for the competition, but given how close it is, Klopp does not anticipate any of them to hold back versus Saints as they attempt to cut the gap on the top four.

"We are pros, and the boys focused entirely on the game as they do every time. In a football game, anything may happen, he remarked.

"But I'm not sure which would be the bigger disaster if you get to the World Cup and think you've made it and get wounded in the first game.

"In order to perform at your best, you must concentrate on the task at hand and not consider what might come up later.

"This is our World Cup, the Southampton game, and we realize how important it is.

We had a difficult start to the season, but if we win this game, we could score 22 points and put ourselves in a position to see the light at the end of the journey. All the players share that mental attitude.

We don't make a huge deal out of it, and we don't discuss the World Cup like I have to ask everybody how they are every day.

The players who were selected, excellent; some who weren't, not so much; aside from that, it's just our predicament here, which implies Southampton.

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