Liverpool have had a problem in defence this season, and the left-back situation has been a big issue for them.
The Reds signed Milos Kerkez for £40 million in their summer rebuild of over £400 million to help secure the left flank for the future, with Andy Robertson winding down the number of games he is playing.
However, the Hungarian, who is clearly putting in effort, has not performed well enough in most games this season, finding himself caught out at the back or making other, more serious individual errors.
While it would seem like the easy choice to put Robertson back into his position as the top left-back at Liverpool, that also comes with its own issues in terms of the slower pace and his subpar showings.
This has created an incredibly difficult situation for Arne Slot, who is trying to find a balance across the field with this new-look team, but is struggling.
Paul Merson believes Andy Robertson cannot start vs Manchester United
Paul Merson has pointed to this problem as one of the key issues surrounding the Reds currently, with the former Arsenal midfielder believing that both choices serve up their own issues.
Slot’s side are on a run of three straight defeats, and with the Manchester United game today, this position for Merson cannot be filled by the Scotsman.
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Speaking to Sky Sports, the pundit explained that Robertson’s performances are not good enough and that Kerkez is struggling because of the stature of the club after being one of the ‘best left-backs’ in the Premier League.
Merson said: “It was a hard one. It was a hard one because he’d done so well at Bournemouth. You’re thinking, well, you could just come in, but this is different. This is Liverpool. This is the Champions now.
“But he’d done so well, it would have been hard to think, right, I’ve chased after you, I’m going to pay this money and not play him. And last season, I think Robertson would be the first one to say that he didn’t have the greatest season. I always felt he was the one coming off. Sometimes, he wasn’t even playing.
“Don’t forget he fell asleep at Chelsea two weeks ago at the far post, Robertson. So, I don’t think he’s got that much of a case to say he should be playing in the game. But it just shows you the way I talked about shelves earlier. The shelves you’re playing at Bournemouth.
“If Bournemouth get beaten by Palace this weekend, there’ll be nothing said. If Liverpool get beaten this weekend, it’s headline news. That’s the pressure you’re playing under week in, week out.”
The one worry with Milos Kerkez starting vs Manchester United
It is very likely that, given his performances for Hungary and the fact that Slot believes in his ability, the 21-year-old will be the one to start against the Red Devils.
However, the one issue besides his recent displays for Liverpool is the fact that when he is frustrated, he can find himself making some mistakes.
In the Burnley game, it was the most apparent when he was not playing well; Kerkez snatched at tackles and got an early yellow card, which meant Slot had to take him off.
With this being one of the biggest fixtures at the club, the Hungarian may find himself in the book early because of the occasion and how United tend to play.
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