The latest Liverpool news as Arne Slot continues to deal with his defensive dilemma, as Andy Robertson and Milos Kerkez fight for a starting position in his team
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 04: Andrew Robertson of Liverpool arrives at the stadium prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4 match between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid C.F. at Anfield on November 04, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Andy Robertson was appointed vice-captain in August(Image: Justin Setterfield - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
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Former Scottish international Pat Nevin believes Andy Robertson has been “poorly treated” this season after Liverpool’s summer spending spree.
Robertson left Hull City to join Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in 2017. The Reds paid just £8m for a player who would go on to win two Premier League titles and a Champions League with the club.
The Scotsman was appointed vice-captain in August, but despite becoming second-in-command in the dressing room, Robertson may feel he's playing second-in-command to Milos Kerkez.
The 22-year-old joined Liverpool over the summer for £40m following a stellar season with Bournemouth and has been regularly preferred to Robertson - a decision Nevin disagrees with.
He told CasinoHawks: “I have been asking why Arne Slot has been playing Milos Kerkez when Andy Robertson has been in better form.
“But more important than that, imagine if you're Liverpool and you've got a very successful group and you've just won the league, but you know you've got to change it — you've got to, football moves on.
Antoine Semenyo of AFC Bournemouth and Milos Kerkez of Liverpool battle for possession during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield on August 15, 2025 in Liverpool, England.
Milos Kerkez joined Liverpool over the summer from Bournemouth
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“It's evolution, not revolution at that point. Don't throw in a revolution.
“Because when you do that, not only are you going to change the dynamic in the team, because you're going to drop important players — Trent Alexander-Arnold has gone, you're going to dump Andy Robertson, and Luis Díaz has gone, and you're bringing in Alexander Isak. And they're good players. But this is a massive difference.
“People think, ‘Well, is it because they're not playing well, they're not understanding each other?’ It's all those things. But I'll tell you something else.
“If you are Virgil van Dijk or someone like that, you'll look and think: ‘Am I next?’ You won't say it out loud, but you will think it.
“I think Robbo has been quite poorly treated there for a little while this season. And he's been an absolutely staggeringly good professional throughout, however. An absolutely brilliant professional.
“He just took it, sucked it up, and then since he came back he's looked really good. And they’ve looked better, generally, with him there, because it’s a settled group, a unit that knows each other.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 9: A dejected Arne Slot manager / head coach of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool at Etihad Stadium on November 9, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
It's been a big dilemma for Arne Slot(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA, Getty Images)
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“Kerkez will get the spot eventually. But that's not the first time they’ve tried to replace Robbo, by the way. But Kerkez will get that job, because he's a good player, but it might take a little while. The fact is, he seemed to freeze on occasions so far and you can’t allow that.
“I'm convinced it was a bad idea to drop Robbo. And I'm convinced Arne Slot has realised that now. So well done, Slot, for figuring that out.”
Kerkez has started nine Premier League games compared to Robertson’s two this season. Arne Slot may be beginning to swap the pair, with the Scotsman earning more minutes in Liverpool’s last five matches than Kerkez.
The situation certainly isn’t what Robertson hoped for heading into the season, with the 31-year-old admitting earlier in the campaign that, for the first time, he questioned his future at the club during the summer.
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