Liverpool managed to beat Bournemouth 4-2 in their opening game of the Premier League season.
The clash was held at Anfield, with there even being times throughout the 90 minutes where it felt like Arne Slot’s men could end up losing.
However, the Reds gritted their teeth and, thanks to some luck, both Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah netted injury-time goals to earn Liverpool all three points.
But, with how hard the win was for the Reds to earn, it’s clear that some changes need to be made before the Premier League season gets fully underway.
Milos Kerkez’s performance has given Andy Robertson a lifeline at Liverpool
This summer, Liverpool have spent well over £200million on improving their ranks, with a lot of their signings expected to improve their quality.
And, while Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong have already proven their worth, Milos Kerkez has been miles off it.
The 21-year-old was one of Bournemouth’s best players last term, but after Kerkez’s “aggressive” performance against his former club, it’s clear that Andy Robertson is far from finished at Anfield.
Antoine Semenyo of AFC Bournemouth and Milos Kerkez of Liverpool battle for possession during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield
Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images
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However, since he’s entering the final 12 months of his contract, there’s going to be a time when the Reds need to make a difficult decision about what to do with the Scotsman.
Andy Robertson could become Liverpool’s first-choice left-back again this season
Although many fans expected Kerkez to be Slot’s left-back from the get-go, if he can’t control his temper and continues to throw himself at every attack, he’s never going to be a reliable player.
Indeed, his contributions to Liverpool’s attack are likely to be vital as we get into the latter end of the season, but as the Reds are easing back into the Premier League, a level-headed Robertson could be the better option.
Of course, the Scotsman is much slower now than he was when he first joined, and even though he did make a couple of mistakes last term, there’s still plenty of talent within him.
Bafode Diakite of AFC Bournemouth and Andrew Robertson of Liverpool battle for possession during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
If Kerkez continues on this path and plays aggressively, it’s hard to see why Slot would ever entrust him to be a regular starter.
For now, it’s anyone’s guess what could happen, but on the face of things, perhaps benching Kerkez for a game or two could help relieve some of the pressure placed upon his shoulders.