The Guardian Football reports that Thomas Tuchel said Alexander-Arnold had enjoyed a good start to the season, but this assessment may not be entirely accurate. Two unremarkable league starts provide insufficient evidence with which to make a case for the full-back's recall, or indeed his exclusion, but he is in the squad. Alexander-Arnold's most high-profile match this season has been against Inter at the Santiago Bernabéu, where he started from the middle of midfield.
José Mourinho had refused to answer a direct question about employing the right-back in midfield, given the absence of several key players. In the post-match press conference, Mourinho said he had no other option, thanked Alexander-Arnold for trying, and admitted that the "specifics" of midfield were different from those of full-back. This suggests that playing in midfield is not a viable option for Alexander-Arnold.
Tuchel was clear in saying the former Liverpool player had been called up as a right-back, but Alexander-Arnold has not made a significant impact in his natural position. He has started only two league matches and been introduced in two others, with one assist and one international call-up to his name. The next step for Alexander-Arnold will be to prove himself in his natural position and demonstrate his worth to the England squad.