Andy Robertson’s Anfield return highlights Liverpool’s big left-back problem

Anfield has a reputation for affording its favourite sons a moving reception when they come back, but sometimes it is enhanced because absence has made the heart grow fonder. Instead, the Carabao Cup has brought Andy Robertson a rapid return. He could play at Liverpool within four months of his farewell whereas, by comparison, his friend Jordan Henderson had to wait four years to receive the appreciation from his former club.

Robertson is nevertheless guaranteed a rousing ovation. And yet, recent as his exit is, Liverpool may already be missing him. Virtually any side, of course, would miss the Scot at his peak, the period of about five years when he was among the world’s best left-backs and which make him an automatic choice for Liverpool’s greatest Premier League side; he has a case, too, to be in an all-time Liverpool team.

Roberto De Zerbi faces a decision whether he is in the Tottenham team now: Robertson helped keep a clean sheet against Everton on Saturday but had been benched at Nottingham Forest the previous week. Yet the early evidence from Anfield is that Liverpool’s left-back department has been downgraded by Robertson’s departure.

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Robertson's performance against Everton helped Spurs keep a clean sheet (Reuters)

His replacement has been his old deputy, Kostas Tsimikas returning from loan at Roma to act as Milos Kerkez’s understudy. The ‘Greek Scouser’, as the 30-year-old has called himself, made his first start for Liverpool for 15 months on Saturday. The good news was that, after they lost on the previous two and five of 12, he averted a hat-trick. The less good news was that Tsimikas did not return for the second half, substituted after a particularly undistinguished outing.

That Kerkez appeared significantly better was, in itself, an indictment; three days earlier, the Hungarian had looked the weakest link in the side against Atletico Madrid. Perhaps these were merely teething troubles as Tsimikas adapts to Andoni Iraola’s football.

Yet the opponents were a previously pointless Fulham side at Anfield; this was supposed to be precisely the sort of match in which a manager could rotate. It is also apparent that Iraola will need to: the potential for a 60-game season, his hard-running style and his attacking demands on full-backs all indicate he would want to share the workload.

Last season, Robertson started 20 matches in all competitions: arguably that was too few, especially when Kerkez struggled in his first few months at Anfield and yet Arne Slot kept picking him, even if there were games that suggested the valiant Scot was in decline.

It is harder to see Tsimikas starting 20 now, even if he has twice begun 19 for Liverpool. And yet competition for places feels more important at left-back than in some other parts of Iraola’s squad.

Kerkez has been culpable crucially twice already. Liverpool have conceded five goals so far this season. Two have come from Kerkez’s immediate opponents: Anthony Elanga accelerating past him at Newcastle, Marcos Llorente darting in behind him for Atletico Madrid.

Kostas Tsimikas was unconvincing when starting at left-back for Liverpool against Fulham (PA)

In the first couple of weeks of the campaign, Jeremie Frimpong’s very evident failings meant Kerkez was not the biggest problem. For now, Iraola seems to have solved the right-back conundrum, bringing in Ronald Araujo for Frimpong.

There is no such obvious fix on the left. There is a date on Sunday that has the potential to be doubly chastening: Iraola’s first return to Bournemouth, and Kerkez’s second since his 2025 transfer.

A match-up with Rayan, the precocious Brazilian brought in during Iraola’s reign, promises to be challenging. A comparison with Adrien Truffert, the left-back signed as Kerkez’s successor, could be unflattering. Each made a Premier League debut for their new clubs in the same game 13 months ago and, while Iraola’s Bournemouth lost 4-2 to Slot’s Liverpool, Truffert looked better than Kerkez.

Milos Kerkez could thrive under Andoni Iraola but must show signs of improvement (Getty)

The sense all along has been that Kerkez’s youth has offered the potential for improvement. He is almost a decade Robertson’s junior, even two years younger than Truffert. A reunion with Iraola, a manager whose tactics should suit him more than Slot’s ever did, is another reason to back Kerkez as the long-term choice. At some stage, though, they could benefit from seeing the performances to support that backing. He was better in the second half of last season, without being fully convincing.

And yet, when Robertson confirmed he would leave when his contract expired, it soon emerged that Tsimikas would return and that Liverpool would not go into the market for a left-back. They had greater priorities. They had to save the budget for wingers. They were looking for Tsimikas to buy them time.

Next summer, too, there could be plenty of other positions that require addressing. And yet an early conclusion is that left-back will, too. Replacing a player of Robertson’s stature was never going to be easy. In a way, though, Liverpool have not got the right replacement in two roles: either as the first-choice left-back or the reserve.