Liverpool head coach Arne Slot took Milos Kerkez off at half-time during the Premier League clash against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, with Andy Robertson coming on
20:48, 24 Jan 2026
Milos Kerkez prior to the Premier League match between Bournemouth and Liverpool.
Milos Kerkez prior to the Premier League match between Bournemouth and Liverpool.(Image: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Arne Slot says the substitution of Milos Kerkez against Bournemouth was not due to injury or a poor display, but because he was in the "red zone" and at risk of picking something up.
The player needed to come off either at half-time or on the 60-minute mark. As a result, Slot took the decision to use the half-time window to make the change rather than use up a slot in the second period.
Kerkez performed poorly as Liverpool fell to another defeat, this time at the hands of his former club, with the Hungary international struggling for 45 minutes before he was replaced by Andy Robertson.
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Having started three times in the space of a week, Kerkez didn't have to be selected, however. Robertson is of interest to Tottenham and amid those links, this was a reminder of why it might make more sense to keep the Scotland captain around.
"It is safe to say a few players of ours ran out of energy," Liverpool boss Slot admitted. "I cannot criticize them for that because two days ago we played an away game in Europe."
Liverpool has Alexander Isak, Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley sidelined for the long term at the moment. Ibrahima Konate was missing because his father has passed away.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot spoke to the press after Saturday's game
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot spoke to the press after Saturday's game(Image: Getty Images)
That is a relatively small injury list for it to lead to a crisis, however. Joe Gomez limped off when Alisson Becker clattered into him trying to save the opening goal.
Next up for Liverpool is a Champions League game against Qarabag. In that competition, the Reds have looked like a different team at times this season.
"Although we were 2-0 down at a certain point, it's a good comeback, although it didn't feel to me that we deserved to be 2-0 down at the moment we were," Slot continued.
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"The players reacted really well. We came back to 2-2 and then I thought it was a very open game where both teams had their chances.
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"They probably [had] even more than us which shouldn't come as a complete surprise to me knowing that we've played two days before in Marseille.
"For the last four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10 games we've had to play with the same players for the players we had available.
"Then sometimes a few of them could be at the end of the game a bit tired. I think that's what you could see at the end today as well."