Andy Robertson has thrown his support behind Liverpool team-mate Milos Kerkez after the young full-back endured a difficult outing at Turf Moor on Sunday afternoon.
Kerkez, a £40million summer signing from Bournemouth, was replaced before half-time at Turf Moor after a challenging spell in which he was booked for diving before fouling Jaidon Anthony midway inside his own half. With Burnley pressing and the 20-year-old walking a disciplinary tightrope, manager Arne Slot opted to act decisively, turning to Robertson after just 37 minutes.
The newly appointed vice captain seized the opportunity, producing an assured display as Liverpool grinded out a narrow win to move three points clear at the top of the Premier League. But afterwards, Robertson was quick to defend his positional rival, urging patience and highlighting Kerkez’s long-term potential.
“He has come in and was fantastic for Bournemouth last season,” said Robertson. “He’s only young and I think we forget that, all the new signings are young but have incredible potential and they are the future of the club and you try to help them as much as you can.
“But you want to put pressure on them and you want to play games. He will be the starting left-back for Liverpool in the future and it’s up to me to push him this season and help him improve. He has a fantastic future ahead of him and he just needs to keep working hard and not let (Sunday) affect him, which it won’t as he’s a confident lad.
“I’ll help him as much as I can but I do want to play games and be the starting left-back and I have got to keep pushing to try to produce the levels I know I can do as well.”
For Robertson, the international break provided a valuable reset. After being limited to substitute appearances at club level, the 31-year-old played two full matches for Scotland, boosting his fitness and confidence before returning to Merseyside.
“The international break was good for me as I was able to get two 90 minutes and get that match fitness and two really good results for Scotland and I took a lot of confidence from that,” he explained.
“(At Burnley) you just have to be ready to be there at any moment, probably a bit earlier than expected but when you get booked in a game like this it is always difficult.”
Robertson can empathise with Kerkez’s struggle to adapt, recalling his own early days at Anfield after moving from Hull City in 2017. The step up to a club of Liverpool’s stature, he admits, requires time and mental resilience.
“It’s a massive jump,” he reflected. “I came from Hull, he’s come from Bournemouth and it’s probably quite similar. There are a lot more eyes on you in a Liverpool jersey than it is than those two clubs.
“He has transitioned well, there’s a lot of information and a lot of different ways of playing and he just needs to keep going and keep his confidence”
“We’ll try to help him and others throughout the season and I have no doubt in the future he will be a fantastic left-back for Liverpool and that’s the main thing.”
The timing of Robertson’s strong cameo could not be more significant. With Atletico Madrid visiting Anfield for the Champions League league phase opener on Wednesday evening, the defender will be pressing hard for a first start of the season.
His future was even the subject of speculation during the recent transfer window, with Diego Simeone’s side reportedly exploring the possibility of signing him.
Asked whether a move to Spain was ever realistic, Robertson smiled: “Maybe at one point.”
Turning his attention to the clash itself, he added: “It’s a tough game for us, the Champions League is always so difficult. They are a really good team, with really good players and a really good manager – but so are we. If we can play to the levels we can do in front of an Anfield crowd we can cause any team problems and we need to do it again this year to get a place in the last 16.”
For now, Robertson insists his focus is on contributing whenever called upon while helping Kerkez navigate the pressures of becoming a Liverpool regular. The veteran knows the challenges of stepping up from a mid-table Premier League side and believes his young team-mate has the attributes to succeed.
“It’s about keeping his head up, learning from the experience and going again,” Robertson concluded. “He’s got all the qualities you need to be Liverpool’s left-back for many years, and I’ll be there to help him – even as I push to prove I can still do that job myself.”
