Liverpool are set to be without four right-back options when they face Sunderland in the Premier League.
It was a decision that Dominik Szoboszlai might look back on and regret.
Jamie Carragher called the decision for Szoboszlai to pull back Erling Haaland daft. In truth, it is hard to disagree. Liverpool had already suffered defeat against Manchester City. Allowing the visitors to extend their lead to 3-1 would not have made a difference to the outcome of the Premier League encounter.
While Liverpool’s goal difference might be better off by +1, there was no other positive to Szoboszlai dragging back City striker Haaland. It earned Szoboszlai a red card - and a one-match suspension.
It can only be presumed that the Hungary international had a rush of blood and forgot that he was deputising at right-back because of Liverpool’s lengthy injury problems. Szoboszlai’s sending-off means that head coach Arne Slot, already under pressure with the Reds sitting just sixth in the Premier League table, will be deprived of another option for the tricky trip to Sunderland on Wednesday.
Slot is already without defenders Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni (both knee) for the remainder of the season. Jeremie Frimpong remains absent with a groin injury while Slot admitted that it’s unlikely Joe Gomez (hip) will be fit to feature at the Stadium of Light.
Talk about depleted options. Liverpool really are down to the bare bones when it comes to the right-hand side of defence. While Calvin Ramsay has been in the match-day squad for the past 10 games and is an out-and-out option, it’s clear that Slot does not trust the one-cap Scotland international. It might be either Wataru Endo or Curtis Jones who has to operate as an auxiliary full-back against Sunderland. Both are midfielders.
If there was a crisis at left-back, perhaps there would not be as much of a fuss being made. Right-footers often play on the opposite side of defence. Paolo Maldini is the most famous example. Liverpool supporters will remember Carragher regularly playing in the role in the earlier stages of his career, while the likes of Gomez, James Milner and John Flanagan have operated there in recent memory.
But a left-footer on the right-side of the rearguard is seldom. It is chiefly because only 10 per cent of the population are left-footed, so they are deployed on that flank from a young age.
Slot does have both of his recognised left-backs available. Milos Kerkez was one of Liverpool’s standout performers against Man City, especially in the first half, while Andy Robertson was an unused substitute.
Per Transfermrkt, Robertson has played on the alternative wing four times in his career. Those outings arrived some 13-and-a-half years ago when he was representing Queen’s Park in Scottish League Two. The highlight was an assist in a 4-0 victory over Elgin City. But in 2021, Robertson had to feature as a right wing-back for Scotland in a 2-0 loss to Denmark. He was switched to his favoured left at half-time.
After the game, Robertson said: "The gaffer spoke to me and I didn't hesitate and I will never hesitate, as long as I am playing for my country then I am happy. Of course I think you have seen in the second half I was a wee bit more comfortable on the left, that's natural but on the right I gave it my best shot, I tried my best but unfortunately in the first half none of us were quite good enough.
"We took too long to settle into the game, me included, and we were all a bit too deep. It is what it is. Right wing-back was new to me but I will never shy away from it."
Kerkez, meanwhile, has played on his disfavoured flank just once in his career, which was a 2-0 loss for AC Milan under-19s against AS Roma in June 2021.
Slot may be hesitant to play Robertson at right-back because it would upset the balance to the set-up. But if it is something considered then Robertson would undoubtedly answer the SOS call.
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