Trent finally given his flowers as critics scurry to praise him

The England international has made the most of his chances in the first team with back-to-back MOTM performances, and pundits are belatedly recognising his talent.

It has taken long enough, not to mention a change in management, for Trent to get some sort of run in the starting XI. New gaffer Lee Carsley handed the 25-year-old his first start for England in almost three months, who clocked up more minutes against Ireland and Finland than he did across the whole European Championship this year.

Since Carsley took charge, Trent has been given a new lease of life. Despite starting on the right hand side of defence, the Scouser tops almost every progressive passing department.

These performances have not gone unnoticed. The ex-pros on the Overlap podcast were rhapsodising about Trent's unlocked potential, while even Lee Dixon was giving the defender credit on commentary, albeit reluctantly.

Although it's refreshing to see Trent get his plaudits after so long, it is difficult not to feel frustrated that pundits have taken so long to cotton on. It has simply taken them an age to drop the bias against him, including the baseless narrative that Trent cannot defend.

From Carragher describing Trent's defending as 'not good enough' to small-time ex-Chelsea defender Laboeuf's bizarre claim that the full-back's defensive abilities are 'championship-level', the narrative has been as uncontested as it has been ridiculous.

So widespread was the idea that Trent was subjected to an incredibly harsh interview ahead of England's World Cup campaign two years ago, which shone a direct spotlight on his defending. No such treatment was handed out to Trippier, who endured a horrible run of error-strewn games at the end of last year.

Aside from the lack of fair hearing, Trent's defensive statistics objectively stand up to scrutiny. When compared to his international team-mate Walker, who was preferred by Southgate, Trent outperformed the City defender in several defensive metrics last season.

Defensive statistics in the 23/24 Premier League season (per 90 minutes)

Statistics via FBref

Although Walker's less advanced position hands an advantage to Trent in metrics like interceptions, it is remarkable to see how close the two defenders are, given the well-established line that Walker is defensively solid and his Scouse counterpart can't be trusted.

Trent's brilliance in possession may have temporarily shifted focus away from his supposed lapses in defence, or maybe pundits are finally recognising his all-round game, only time will tell. Either way, any of us that have watched him regularly know how special he is, and it's about damn time that England fans drop the tribalism and realise it too.