Andy Robertson offers a key presence, but are his days as a regular starter over? – Liverpool FC

The last time Andy Robertson played fewer games was his debut season at Anfield in 2023/24. it has been disrupted by a serious injury and there are now doubts about his starting position.

The Scot helped the Reds get off to a strong start to the season before the dreaded curse of the international break struck and sidelined him for three months.

It robbed Jurgen Klopp of one of his most reliable assets, and by the time he regained his composure, the team had fallen significantly.

The injury that turned his season around

Before the second international break of the season, Robertson had started eight of the Reds’ opening 11 games – trailing only the Europa League and League Cup exploits.

He played the full 90 minutes in all of the aforementioned outings at a time when Klopp had little consistency in the back line due to injuries to Ibrahima Konate and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Virgil van Dijk’s two-game suspension was also thrown into the mix early on.

Robertson’s 85th-minute goal at Wolves was instrumental in continuing their unbeaten start to the league, and he once again made a solid contribution at left-back, keeping Kostas Tsimikas at bay.

At Brighton, in the last game before he will be sidelined for months, he was far from his best, as he failed to clear the ball from a free-kick that allowed Brighton to take something from the match.

That trip to the south coast on October 8 was Robertson’s last appearance for Liverpool until January 28 – 21 games later – after he dislocated his shoulder while representing Scotland.

He traveled to Dubai for his warm-weather training camp after two months of rehabilitation in England, while Joe Gomez and Tsimikas spent more time in the starting XI.

Consistency at the end

Injury has deprived the team of one of their key contributors during a long, grueling campaign in which fitness issues have been rife throughout the squad.

It is understandable, then, why Robertson was the player who had the energy and was looking for a fight at the end of the season, while others found themselves in quicksand.

Barring a few niggles, the 30-year-old has started 15 of the Reds’ last 25 games in all competitions and is edging closer to his all-time best.

Two goals in two games against West Ham and Tottenham ensured he equaled his club best tally (three), both of which saw his penetration from the left side of the defense into the opposition penalty area.

That’s Robertson at his best, when he can create width, hit balls into the box and offer a threat to his opposite number – giving them something to think about instead of the other way around.

According to FBref, only three players in Liverpool’s squad have had more progress than Robertson in all competitions, and only six have had more progressive passes – despite his long absence.

That shows his influence in how the Reds attack space and their opposition, which can’t always be replicated with Gomez or Tsimikas.

He finished the campaign as one of the strongest and most consistent players, and it is a silver lining to his three-month spell on the sidelines that his flame was still burning until the end of the campaign.

Robertson is one of the loudest voices in the locker room and a presence you won’t find anywhere, but how will Arne Slott view him?

Will there be a threat to his starting position?

At 30, Robertson is now on the other side of the age group where the club doesn’t usually extend new contracts.

He remains an invaluable player to have and a lively personality to keep in the dressing room, but a new coach could bring new, younger competition to his shores.

Robertson will not be dropped from the starting XI, but discussions about whether the club would be right to cash in on him this summer hint at his role in the team changing.

You don’t want to change too much in one summer, and you feel he’s too valuable on and off the field to greenlight any move, but his minutes may simply drop under Slott if a new left back arrives.

His preference for short passes will suit the Dutchman’s system though, and you feel he will be key in helping the transition into the post-Jurgen Klopp era.

Best moment: A wonderful late winner at Wolves.

Worst moment: Terrible decision that Brighton’s free kick flew wide for the equaliser.

Role next season: He competes with a younger colleague, but remains the heart of the team.