Arne Slot delivers honest Milos Kerkez verdict on start to Liverpool career amid Gary Neville claim
Milos Kerkez has started every Premier League game for Liverpool since being signed for £40 million from AFC Bournemouth.
Arne Slot believes that Milos Kerkez has brought ‘a lot of energy’ to Liverpool - and is still building a relationship wit Cody Gakpo.
The left-back was signed for a fee of £40 million from AFC Bournemouth in the summer transfer window. Kerkez was one of the Cherries’ stars last season as they finished ninth in the Premier League and his performances were recognised with a place in the PFA Team of the Year. In total, he recorded two goals and six assists in 41 games.
Kerkez has started every league game for the Reds so far ahead of Andy Robertson, who was first-choice left-back after arriving in 2017. There have been some supporters who would like to see Robertson keep his berth in the team after playing in the 5-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt.
Meanwhile, after last weekend’s 2-1 loss to Manchester United, Kerkez came in for scrutiny, with Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville claiming the Hungary international played ‘like a 10-year-old’ and was ‘all over the place’.
In addition, ex-Liverpool captain Jamie Redknapp suggested Kerkez looked like a ‘nervous wreck’. Redknapp said on Sky Sports: “Kerkez is very nervous. He’s like a nervous wreck out there. I feel for him.
“It’s almost a bit too much for him. The game is happening a bit too fast and Diallo is causing him problems. Like you’ve mentioned, with Mbeumo and Cunha they’ve gone for a different approach with a bit more pace.”
But Slot believes that Kerkez will only improve and has been unlucky that he’s not been picked out by Gakpo when overlapping down the flank.
Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Brentford, Liverpool head coach Slot said: “The reason why we brought him in is that he brings a lot of energy to the game, he keeps going up and down and is very good at defending the one-v-one situations against his winger.
“Defensively solid and a lot of energy making the overlaps. For me, he has been a bit unlucky that Cody hasn't used [him]. Mainly, his biggest strength is coming inside and hitting the target but we have shown Cody a few moments where playing the ball to Milos would have been the better option. Again, an example of two players who maybe need to find a connection better than they already do. That's why we brought him in.”