Andy Robertson backs Milos Kerkez to succeed at Liverpool – but not at his own expense

Liverpool vice-captain Andy Robertson expects Milos Kerkez to bounce back from a torrid afternoon at Turf Moor, but has warned the Hungary international he does not intend to relinquish his own claims to a starting place without a fight. 

Robertson was brought on after 38 minutes at Burnley after Kerkez, who has superseded the 31-year-old Scot at left-back since his £40m arrival from Bournemouth this summer, received an early booking for simulation.

The 21-year-old came under further scrutiny when he brought down Burnley winger Jaidon Anthony, conceding a free-kick, and Arne Slot, the Liverpool manager, admitted after his team’s 1-0 win that he had withdrawn Kerkez to avoid the possibility of a red card.

‘There are a lot more eyes on you in a Liverpool jersey’

Slot’s suggestion that he could “never be 100%” certain that Kerkez would not commit another foul after receiving booking immediately made headlines, but Robertson pointed to the challenges inherent in making the step up to a big club at a young age.  

“It’s a massive jump,” said the Scotland captain, whose own move to Anfield from Hull City as a 23-year-old bears obvious parallels. “I came from Hull, he’s come from Bournemouth, and it’s probably quite similar. There are a lot more eyes on you in a Liverpool jersey than [there are at] those two clubs. 

“He’s only young, and I think we forget that. He has transitioned well. There’s a lot of information and a lot of different ways of playing, and he just needs to keep going and keep his confidence. 

“We’ll try to help him and others throughout the season, and I have no doubt in the future he will be a fantastic left-back for Liverpool, and that’s the main thing.”

‘You want to put pressure on and you want to play games’

Slot has shown that he has no compunction about taking such decisions. Last season, the Dutchman replaced Jarell Quansah with Ibrahima Konaté at half-time in his first game as a Premier League manager at Ipswich last season, and he made the same substitution in reverse at home to Wolves in February after Konaté received an early booking. 

Robertson, whose Anfield trophy haul includes two league titles, the Champions League and the Club World Cup, is keen to use his experience to help the club’s raft of sumer additions settle in. But while he believes the likes of Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak represent the future of the club, the Scot insists he is not content merely to play second fiddle to Kerkez.    

“All the new signings are young but have incredible potential,” said Robertson. “They are the future of the club, and you try to help them as much as you can. 

“But you want to put pressure on them and you want to play games. [Kerkez] will be the starting left-back for Liverpool in the future, and it’s up to me to push him this season and help him improve. 

“He has a fantastic future ahead of him and he just needs to keep working hard and not let [his substitution] affect him, which it won’t, as he’s a confident lad.

“I’ll help him as much as I can but I do want to play games and be the starting left-back and I have got to keep pushing to try to produce the levels I know I can do as well.”