The Three Lions captain has come under heavy scrutiny, with some even going as far as demanding the Bayern Munich striker be dropped for Ivan Toney.
Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold has come to Harry Kane's defense following a wave of criticism aimed at the England captain following his disappointing performance against Switzerland in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals.
The Bayern Munich sensation entered the tournament on the back of winning the European Golden Boot, having scored a whopping 36 goals in the Bundesliga. However, the Three Lions sensation is yet to impress in Germany, with some fans even calling for the skipper to be dropped.
The 30-year-old has scored twice in Euro 2024, netting against Denmark in the 1-1 draw before scoring the winner in England's dramatic 2-1 triumph over Slovakia in extra time in the round of 16. However, Kane's performances have been poor, with the striker struggling to effect matches as he typically does.
Additionally, the captain struggled to get on the end of opportunities during the penalty shootout win over Switzerland. Despite this, Trent, who spoke to the media ahead of Wednesday's semifinal against the Netherlands, remains adamant that Kane must start if Southgate's men wish to win.
The Liverpool ace, who hailed Kane as the best finisher he has ever seen, argues that the presence of Harry alone would strike fear in the heart of any defender.
"Anyone who is facing England would like to see Harry Kane not playing," Trent stated, as per Goal.
"I think we are talking about England's record goalscorer so that is as big as anything you can say about him. You just know he is a threat. Anything in and around the box, you need to be on red alert.
"He can finish it from any angle. I always say he is the best finisher I have seen or played with. He can find the back of the net from anywhere. He can drop down and build play up and his hold-up play is incredible, too. All round, a fantastic player."
Despite the criticism and calls for Ivan Toney to start, the Bayern Munich ace should captain his nation for the upcoming semifinal. England will look to make back-to-back European Championship finals but will need their captain to perform or will risk crashing out at the hands of the Dutch.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, on the other hand, is fighting for a spot in Southgate's lineup. The Liverpool right-back came on as a substitute and scored his side's decisive penalty in the win over Switzerland. However, the manager has preferred Kyle Walker and appears destined to do the same on Wednesday.