Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool can put themselves in a “really strong” position to win the Premier League by replacing Andy Robertson this month.
In his eighth season at the club, Robertson was part of a questionable defensive display in A 2-2 draw at the home of Manchester United on Sunday, when the visitors scored their first goals at Anfield since 2018.
“Liverpool need to sign a full-back in January – I think as a left-back,” former Reds defender Carragher told Sky Sports. “If Liverpool get a left-back in January, that will put them in a very strong position.
“Robertson is an absolute legend and I have a bit of a crush on him. He just sticks in every game and I don’t think (I understand) that Konstantinos Tsimikas is the role model to come in and replace him.”
“If I look at it again tomorrow, I’d hope for more”
Arne Slot says Liverpool missed too many chances against Manchester United at Anfield ❌ pic.twitter.com/6FnLLrlNfk
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 5, 2025
Will Liverpool replace Robertson?
Robertson, who won every English trophy at least once and the Champions League under former manager Jurgen Klopp, has started 17 of Liverpool’s 19 league games this season under new manager Arne Slot and three of their European matches .
As part of one of the most memorable performances of his career, the 30-year-old was sent off after 17 minutes of a 2-2 draw at home to Fulham on 14 December.
Most of the scrutiny after the draw with United fell to right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, with the visitors concentrating most of their attacks on his flanks and scoring their goals from that side.
Alexander-Arnold ‘really poor’
“Trent was very poor today but Conor Bradley has come in and he’s fantastic,” Carragher said, adding that we would “definitely focus” on the England international after heavy reports. linking him with a move to Real Madrid.
“I don’t think the game could have gone much worse for him. I expected him to put in a performance where he dominates the game and is almost a playmaker from right back.
“…They didn’t play at their level”
Daniel Sturridge and Roy Keane question whether Liverpool really showed up against Manchester United 👀 pic.twitter.com/7wj0ilNCO1
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 5, 2025
“I thought Manchester United’s system would play into his hands and give him a lot of space to get his head up and cross and link up with Mo Salah.
“He was bad defensively, but we’ve seen that before. There was nothing in front of the ball.”
The Real Madrid talk “affected” Alexander-Arnold
The 26-year-old was replaced by Bradley in the 84th minute, four minutes after United had made it 2-2 – when Robertson was the closest player to goalscorer Amad Diallo – and a minute after Alexander-Arnold’s header.
“Only he knows if the talk affected him, but the fact he was so poor in the first game after Real Madrid’s offer tells me it did,” Carragher said. “Trent should have gotten off a lot earlier.”
