England head coach Thomas Tuchel has explained why former Liverpool centre-back Jarell Quansah is “a tiny bit ahead” of Trent Alexander-Arnold in his right-back plans.Quansah made his England debut at right-back in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Albania, having kept his place in a squad while Alexander-Arnold remains absent.Liverpool’s former No. 66 has struggled with injury in recent weeks but returned to fitness ahead of the November break – however he was still left out of Tuchel’s squad for the third time in a row.It comes with Alexander-Arnold not currently considered one of the three best right-backs available to England.Why Quansah is ahead of Trent in England plansSpeaking to reporters following Quansah’s impressive debut, Tuchel explained: “I have a lot of trust in Jarell.“I see his talent, but I see the package. He is tall, he is fast, he is strong in buildup. He is strong in the air.“I saw him very strong playing for Liverpool in this position so I always wanted to try.“And he plays every minute for Bayer Leverkusen since the U21 Euros, so he is at the moment a tiny bit ahead.” As Tuchel noted, while Alexander-Arnold is not even a regular starter for Real Madrid at present, Quansah has been a key player for Leverkusen since leaving Liverpool over the summer.That £35 million deal was designed to give the 22-year-old an opportunity to develop in a settled, top-level environment as a first-choice starter, having found himself unable to break into Arne Slot‘s lineup.Liverpool retain a buy-back clause which could see them re-sign Quansah for €60 million (£52.9m) from the summer of 2027, and if he continues his current trajectory that seems realistic.Clearly, his long-term future will be as a centre-back, but the ability to also play right-back is enhancing his prospects with England.What Quansah said after his England debutHarry Kane handed Quansah his legacy cap after the victory over Albania and the Liverpool academy graduate reflected on one of his “greatest days.”“First and foremost, this is one of the greatest days of my life,” he told his teammates.“Being part of the group, obviously perfect in qualifying, means a lot to me.“I want to thank the coaching staff and all the staff for giving me the opportunity and helping me out.“Then obviously to you guys [in the squad] as well. Being part of you guys, seeing some of the lads I’ve won tournaments with and came up through the age groups with, and senior, experienced players as well.“It’s a massive honour. I’m so grateful, thank you.”