Arne Slot has been urged to make a ‘big decision’ by dropping a Liverpool player for the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Despite producing a reasonably dismal Premier League title defence – slipping to sixth within the table – Liverpool have impressed in Europe, ending third within the Champions League group phase.
The Reds won six of their eight group games and were rewarded with a winnable last-16 tie against Galatasaray.
While Galatasaray boast a four-point lead at the highest of the Turkish Super Lig, they finished just twentieth within the Champions League, losing half of their group matches.
Liverpool will subsequently be expected to advance on the expense of Galatasaray, with the primary leg of the last-16 tie happening in Turkey on Tuesday night.
Liverpool suffered a shock defeat to Premier League basement boys Wolves last week before returning to winning ways against the identical opposition within the FA Cup.
Andy Robertson starred within the recent game, scoring Liverpool’s opener before organising Mohamed Salah’s goal just two minutes later.
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Milos Kerkez has predominately played ahead of Robertson since his £40m move from Bournemouth last summer but Alan Shearer and Micah Richards each consider the experienced Scot needs to be picked for Liverpool’s Champions League games.
Robertson has revamped 350 appearances for Liverpool over the past decade, helping the Anfield club win two Premier League titles, the Champions League and three domestic cups.
‘Let’s get a full-back’s perspective on one in all the Premier League’s great full-backs, Andy Robertson,’ Gary Lineker said on The Rest is Football podcast.
‘Do you think that he must have played more this season? It’s easy to say in hindsight because they obviously spend just a few bob on Milos Kerkez and he struggled a little bit bit. But I believe they’ve really missed Robertson.’
Ex-Manchester City and England defender Richards replied: ‘I believe the sensation amongst Liverpool fans was that they needed to get someone in.
‘So I believe they did the suitable thing signing Kerkez. It’s the output that Robertson does, he’s up and down and up and down, but he’s in his 30s now and there was some games last season that it became an issue.
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‘So I believe it was right to get Kerkez but I’d have played Robertson more, especially in the larger games, due to his experience and knowing that position.
‘Kerkez was outstanding at Bournemouth and all of us thought he would slot in seamlessly but he was quite reckless and rash at the beginning.
‘He’s grown into it but in the massive games I’d still play Robertson and if I needed more energy I’d go along with Kerkez.’
Premier League record goalscorer Shearer added: ‘He’s got an enormous decision to make once they play Galatasaray away. After Robertson’s performance, Slot has an enormous decision to make.’
Richards then said: ‘You’ve got to play Andy Robertson. Only for his knowhow and experience in such an enormous game. I’d definitely play Robertson, and not using a doubt.’
Shearer agreed with Richards, saying: ‘That’s what I’d do, yeah.’
Liverpool visited Galatasaray within the group stage of the Champions League, losing 1-0 due to Victor Osimhen’s first-half penalty.
The 2 European giants have met five times in total, with Galatasaray winning two of those games to Liverpool’s one.
The winner of this last-16 tie will face either Champions League holders PSG or Club World Cup winners Chelsea within the quarter-finals.
In-between their last-16 legs against Galatasaray, Liverpool will look to spice up their top-four hopes against Premier League relegation-battlers Tottenham.
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