Where Liverpool’s left-back conundrum now stands as Andy Robertson answers back

Add as preferred source on Google

Andy Robertson sprinted towards Florian Wirtz, grinning from ear to ear, before launching into an enthusiastic cuddle with his Liverpool teammate.

Wirtz had just laid the ball on a plate for Cody Gakpo at Deutsche Bank Park to claim his first ever competitive assist for the Reds.

Gakpo might have been the man to put the ball into the net, but Robertson recognised that it was Wirtz who needed his energy.

A small moment it may have been, but it encapsulated why Arne Slot chose Robertson to assist Virgil van Dijk as Liverpool‘s vice captain this season.

Since taking on that mantle, the 31-year-old has been mostly rewarded with a place on the bench, as Milos Kerkez assumes starting duties.

Kerkez has struggled in his early days at Anfield, though, leaving many to champion a return to the side for Robertson. Leadership aside, the Scot lay down a marker on Wednesday to announce his candidacy for a permanent spot at left-back.

Andy Robertson comes roaring back

It has been a surprise to some that Robertson has been so categorically demoted to second-choice left-back this season.

Kerkez was always likely to be the more regular starter having arrived for £40m this summer, but it had been predicted that Robertson would be needed on a rotational basis.

READ MORE: Arne Slot may have seen one of this season’s biggest problems solved during Liverpool’s win over Eintracht

Instead, the veteran is yet to start a Premier League match, and has only three substitute appearances to boot. Kerkez has been given carte blanche.

But after the Hungarian looked shaky once again in Sunday’s defeat against Manchester United, Slot was always likely to throw Robertson back in.

The Scotland captain may have played anyway, but after a good performance against Eintracht, Robertson has put himself in the frame to take back his starting spot on a more regular basis.

It will be fascinating to see which way Slot decides when Liverpool visit Brentford on Saturday evening, but Kerkez should now be sweating over his place.

Robertson makes Virgil van Dijk play better

One of the criticisms of Kerkez so far has been that he has not struck up a particularly good partnership with Virgil van Dijk to his right.

Having played together for the past seven years and more, Van Dijk and Robertson do have that understanding.

The only way to improve Kerkez’s link with the captain is to play them together, but at the moment that is having a detrimental effect.

With Robertson returning to the side on Wednesday, Van Dijk immediately looked more comfortable. Getting the most out of one of Liverpool’s very best players is arguably a good enough reason in itself for Slot to pick the older man.

For Kerkez, he may just have age on his side for this weekend; perhaps Slot will decide that Robertson should not play two matches in four days. But if the Hungary international stumbles again, the boss’ choice will become unequivocal.