Andrew Robertson has made it clear he won’t surrender his spot as Liverpool’s first-choice left-back, even after admitting there was an opportunity he might have joined Atletico Madrid in the summertime.
The 31-year-old, who has been at Anfield since 2017, has misplaced his beginning position this season to 20-year-old Milos Kerkez, a £40 million signing seen because the membership’s long-term possibility on the left aspect of defence.
Though Robertson was linked with a transfer to Atletico – who occur to be Liverpool’s first Champions League opponents on Wednesday – he selected to remain for the ultimate 12 months of his contract, conscious that his alternatives may now come from the bench.
That was the case at Burnley on Saturday, the place Robertson entered the sport within the thirty eighth minute to switch Kerkez, who had already been booked.
His introduction helped regular Arne Slot’s aspect as they held on for a 1-0 win to keep up their excellent begin to the Premier League season.
Reflecting on the hypothesis, the Scotland captain stated: “Perhaps at one level. I do need to play video games and be the beginning left-back and I’ve obtained to maintain pushing to attempt to produce the degrees I do know I can do.
“The worldwide break was good for me as I used to be capable of get two 90 minutes, get that match health and two actually good outcomes for Scotland and I took quite a lot of confidence from that.
“He [Kerkez] is barely younger and I believe we overlook that. You attempt to assist them as a lot as you may however you need to put stress on them and also you need to play video games.
“He would be the beginning left-back for Liverpool sooner or later and it’s as much as me to push him this season and assist him enhance.
“He simply must maintain working arduous and never let as we speak have an effect on him, which it gained’t as he’s a assured lad, and I’ll assist him as a lot as I can.”
Kerkez’s state of affairs mirrors Robertson’s personal expertise when he first arrived at Liverpool from Hull Metropolis in 2017. Again then, he needed to wait till December to turn out to be an everyday starter below Jurgen Klopp.
Robertson acknowledged the similarities: “It’s a large leap. I got here from Hull, he’s come from Bournemouth and it’s most likely fairly related.
“There are much more eyes on you in a Liverpool jersey than at these two golf equipment. He has transitioned effectively.
“There’s quite a lot of data and quite a lot of other ways of enjoying and he simply must maintain going and maintain his confidence.
“I’ve little question sooner or later he can be a unbelievable left-back for Liverpool and that’s the principle factor.”
