Arne Slot has said he expects defender Andrew Robertson to stay at Liverpool for the rest of the season despite interest from Tottenham Hotspur.
Sources told ESPN Liverpool held preliminary talks with Tottenham last week over a potential deal for Robertson, who is out of contract in the summer. The left-back is understood to want more game time ahead of this summer’s World Cup, though the deal is now unlikely to proceed unless Liverpool find a suitable replacement.
“Robbo is part of the team tomorrow evening,” Slot said ahead of his team’s Champions League clash with Qarabag FK. “He has been part of this squad for so many years. I am happy to have him and I am glad he is available because that is not normal for us right now.
“He will be part of the team and nothing is happening on this side. It’s hard to say anything definite in this world we are in but I expect him to stay.”
Liverpool were dealt another injury blow at the weekend when defender Joe Gomez was forced off with a hip problem in the team’s 3-2 defeat to AFC Bournemouth.
The England international is not expected to be sidelined for a long period however he will miss the clash with Qarabag, while Ibrahima Konaté is also on compassionate leave following the death of his father.
“For sure at centre-back tomorrow there will not be a centre-back,” Slot said.
“I can only play a midfielder as there are no centre-backs available apart from Virgil [Van Dijk]. I credit him a lot for being fit all the time, at his age to constantly be ready to play another 90 is something we should not take for granted.
“I have to adapt with the system or players in different positions. This doesn’t help with the narrative, I am completely aware of that. It is a difficult balance. Before people say I don’t listen to medical staff, I am listening but sometimes I make my own decisions. There was a player who was on the pitch and set up a goal when it probably would have been better for him to be off the pitch.
“I speak to my players, I know how they feel and if they are ready, I take that all into account. If you don’t know the information, it is easy to criticise.”
Reflecting on how challenging it is to deal with the criticism his team are facing this season, Slot added: “It is going to be really difficult to quiet outside noise with the position we are in in the league.
“It’s impossible to shut down the noise at a club like this if you are not competing for the league. In between the boxes we are a very, very good team. The way we play out from the back and bring the ball towards promising positions — so, so many times against Bournemouth we were in positions I want my players to be in.
“Taking it from promising positions to chances and being clinical to finish them off we have to improve. In the other box, other teams arrive there three, four times a game. Too many times when they arrive it leads to chances and sometimes goals.
“There is an imbalance between us and other teams. If we can improve in both boxes we can do very special things season. If we can improve in one it will be an acceptable season. If we can’t improve on either there will be a lot of noise.”
