Arne Slot was full of praise for Andy Robertson after the Liverpool vice-captain impressed after forcing his way back into the Reds' starting XI
Arne Slot has been impressed with the performances of Andy Robertson since his recall to the Liverpool team
Arne Slot has been impressed with the performances of Andy Robertson since his recall to the Liverpool team
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Arne Slot believes Andy Robertson has proven he still has a big part to play for Liverpool as he offered a hint about the Scotland captain’s contract situation. The Reds vice-captain started the season out of the starting XI, having lost his place to summer signing Milos Kerkez.
However, the 31-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has since won back his place and started Liverpool’s last three matches - impressing in victories over Aston Villa and Real Madrid as the Reds returned to winning ways and kept back-to-back clean sheets.
Slot admitted Robertson will need to be assessed ahead of Sunday’s trip to Man City, having started three matches in the past seven days.
But he praised the left-back for his recent displays and played down the importance of the defender now being the wrong side of 30.
“It’s been a while since I heard the word contract but there it is again!” Slot said, in reference to last season’s sagas regarding Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
“He’s (Robertson) done really well in the last three games because he has played three games in seven days, though I took him off against (Crystal) Palace after 60-65 minutes.
“I was very pleased to see he could play almost 90 in his last game because it’s hard for players to play three games in seven days. Eight days or nine days is already a big difference compared to seven days.
“But he’s done well, as the team did. It’s so helpful for every individual if the team plays at its best, and I think that’s what we did in the last two games.
“He’s been calm on the ball and done a job defensively. So happy with his two, maybe three performances, though Palace, 3-0 loss, wasn’t the best game of the season.”
Slot continued: “Over 30 doesn’t tell me anything. If I look at Virgil, Mo and Robbo, who was last season also above 30, and all three of them were able to win the Premier League and all three of them played a big part in it.
“If a 24-year-old doesn’t play as well, nobody talks about his age. If a 32, 33, 34-year-old has one or two bad games, people start talking about age.
“That is how things work in this industry. But I think 32, I wouldn’t say that that is old for a football player in my opinion.”
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