Pundits split on Trent
While Pearce thinks Trent could be a difference maker in midfield, other former England stars are split on the Liverpool man – with Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney believing he should be playing in his natural position at right back.
Neville told ITV: “Against Serbia, they’re going to play deep and we’re going to need to find a way to cut them open, so I can see why Trent in there works for this particular match.
“But as the tournament goes on, I don’t think it will remain that way — other players will come into the fold.
“What Trent playing there does is basically allow Kyle Walker to stay back almost as a third centre-back.
Trent can go out to the right-hand side then and deliver, almost like a right-back.
“I can see why it works but I’m not sure it will be the solution as the tournament moves on.”
Rooney said on The Overlap: “Defensively, he’s all over the place,” he explained.
“He can’t defend [as a midfielder]. I wouldn’t have him anywhere near the middle of the pitch.
“I’d have no problem with playing him here [at right-back]. I think in here [midfield], I wouldn’t have him anywhere near there.”
But Jamie Carragher says Southgate must find a place for him in the team.
“I just think that Trent is that good a player you have got to find a place for him in the team and that happens at different levels of football,” he said.
“Sometimes a player has that much quality you can’t have him sitting on the bench and England have a big hole in midfield. Trent, I wouldn’t say he is not a midfield player but he is 50 per cent a midfield player.
“You might have a problem if Trent was playing against Germany and Jamal Musiala is running at him but when you talk about Trent I think playing him in midfield alleviates some of those problems that he might get at right-back defensively.”
Captain Mitro spearheads Serbia frontline
Serbia (3-5-2): 1 Rajkovic; 13 Veljkovic, 4 Milenkovic, 2 Pavlovic; 14 Zivkovic, 20 S. Milinkovic-Savic, 6 Gudelj, 22 Lukic, 11 Kostic; 7 Vlahovic, 9 Mitrovic
Subs: 12 Petrovic, 23 V. Milinkovic-Savic, 3 Stojic, 5 Maksimovic, 8 Jovic, 10 Tadic, 15 Babic, 16 Mijailovic, 17 Ilic, 18 Ratkov, 19 Samardzic, 21 Gacinovic, 24 Spajic, 25 Mladenovic, 26 Birmancevic
England starting XI as expected
England (4-2-3-1): 1 Pickford; 2 Walker, 5 Stones, 6 Guehi, 12 Trippier; 8 Alexander-Arnold, 4 Rice; 7 Saka, 10 Bellingham, 11 Foden; 9 Kane
Subs: 13 Ramsdale, 23 Henderson, 3 Shaw, 14 Konsa, 15 Dunk, 16 Gallagher, 17 Toney, 18 Gordon, 19 Watkins, 20 Bowen, 21 Eze, 22 Gomez, 24 Palmer, 25 Wharton, 26 Mainoo
Heads up on Serbia main threat
With the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic in their attacking ranks, it is no surprise that Serbia possess an impressive aerial threat.
In fact, 33% of their goals in European Championship qualifying were headers (5 of 15) – the highest ratio amongst any team that have reached the finals in Germany.
This evening could prove to be something of a tournament baptism of fire for centre-back Marc Guehi.
Trent the key
England hero Stuart Pearce knows Declan Rice will be a key man for the Three Lions in Germany.
But the hardman left-back believes Trent Alexander-Arnold could be key to unlocking his best traits.
“Dec can do a bit of everything. I think even on the show tonight we might even talk about if there is a role in this tournament for Declan to play further up the pitch like he does for Arsenal,” Pearce told talkSPORT.
“I think he can offer a lot more but the balance has got to be right and if he’s got Trent in there, getting the balance right, he’s got to be the quarterback with his passing range.”
England set for first Serbia showing
This evening’s encounter in Gelsenkirchen will mark England’s first ever match with Serbia since they re-emerged as an independent state in 2006.
In fact, since the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, the Three Lions have only faced Serbia and Montenegro – and that was once in 2003.
Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side prevailed 2-1 in an international friendly at the Walkers thanks to a goal from Steven Gerrard and a late winner from Joe Cole.
John Terry made his international debut that night as a half-time sub for one Gareth Southgate.