Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has bizarrely questioned whether Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp still trusts defensive stalwart Andy Robertson after he has been the centre of a handful of substitutions in recent matches.
Robertson, who signed from Hull City for £8m in 2017, has become instrumental to the Reds' success during that time as he and counterpart Trent Alexander-Arnold have redefined the requirements of a modern-day full-back.
However, for large periods of his Anfield career to date, the Scotland captain has had little-to-no competition for the left-back position - highlighted by the 229 games the 28-year-old has racked up during his five years on Merseyside thus far.
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But a faltering start to the season for Robertson and his team-mates has led to Merson questioning whether the Liverpool manager still "fancies" Robertson as his first choice left-back.
"I’m starting to wonder whether Jurgen Klopp fancies Andy Robertson anymore,” wrote the former England midfielder in his Daily Star column earlier this week. “He keeps on being subbed for Kostas Tsimikas."
While the former Arsenal man has a point, that Robertson has been rotated in recent weeks, a look back at his accumulation of minutes during the last two seasons ( 4,317 and 4,001) would suggest that the former Queen's Park and Hull City defender has nothing to worry about.
Robertson grabbed a first-half assist during the Reds' 5-0 demolition of Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon as he whipped in a superb delivery for Virgil van Dijk to head home past Mark Travers moments before half-time.
Despite his impressive outing, Klopp withdrew both he and Alexander-Arnold for Bobby Clark and Tsimikas with the three points in the bag.
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