Arne Slot suggests why Andy Robertson may have struggled for Liverpool form this season - 'we try to'

Arne Slot has suggested that Andy Robertson’s lack of Liverpool pre-season has impacted him so far this campaign.

The left-back came back from Euro 2024 with Scotland with a fitness issue, meaning he missed a significant amount of the summer programme. Having been the undisputed first choice for much of his Liverpool career, helping the club win seven major trophies including the Champions League and Premier League, Robertson has been rotated more frequently this term.

Kostas Tsimikas has come off the bench on several occasions, as well as starting in a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace and Champions League victories over AC Milan and RB Leipzig.

However, Robertson has played in the past two games - a 2-2 draw against Arsenal and a 3-2 triumph against Brighton in the Carabao Cup earlier this week. And as Liverpool prepare to face Brighton for a second time in four days, this time at Anfield in the Premier League on Saturday, Slot believes Robertson will benefit from his recent run in the team.

The Reds head coach said: “I wouldn’t say a dilemma. There have been more positions we have rotated - the left wing, in the midfield and the nine position. It probably has to do with Robo’s pre-season. He had no pre-season because he came back injured from the Euros. He missed almost all of pre-season, which for most of them was two weeks but for him was only a few days. 

“Kostas did really well in that period and it has to do with that quality Kostas brings and Robo missing pre-season so that’s why we started rotating from the start a bit because if a player didn’t have any pre-season, there was no time to bring him to a situation where he could play three games in a row. 

“We try to build up players for that programme and for him, it was difficult because he missed out on pre-season where others were there. That’s his situation and it was good for him to play against Arsenal and Brighton in the week to make sure he’s getting into the rhythm of playing twice a week.”