Arne Slot said he is still having to manage Milos Kerkez’s minutes after the Liverpool defender was brought off early during their 2-1 defeat against Chelsea.
Kerkez has endured a tricky start to life at Liverpool since arriving from Bournemouth for £40million this summer.
The Hungarian international has started all of Liverpool’s seven Premier League fixtures so far this campaign, but has not quite managed to replicate the form he showed under Andoni Iraola last season.
The left-back faced a difficult task up against Pedro Neto at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, and was eventually withdrawn after 55 minutes to be replaced by the experienced Andy Robertson.
And speaking after the game, Slot confirmed that he looked to protect the defender after a tiring spell that has seen Kerkez play three times in the last seven days.
Get personalised updates on Chelsea every day
Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you.
‘Milos was more and more tired – he played 90 minutes in two games and now for the third game in a week, which he’s not used to when he played at Bournemouth’ Slot told Sky Sports.
‘You could feel and see it got more and more difficult to keep going and their wingers are a threat so we decided to make a change over there.’
Metro at the Match: Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool
Metro at the Match returns to bring you all the analysis from the biggest games of the season.
Here are our team’s key takeaways from Chelsea’s dramatic 2-1 win over Liverpool.
Kerkez and Konate at the root of Liverpool woes
Liverpool’s ability to move the ball out from the back has understandably taken a hit with Trent Alexander-Arnold no longer on the scene. But the drop-off is becoming a real worry.
Trent’s replacement Jeremie Frimpong didn’t even get on the pitch Saturday night. Over on the left, Milos Kerkez is not proving to be the oven-ready replacement for Andy Robertson many thought he would be, run ragged in transitional moments and failing to offer a threat going forward.
Criticism around Konate has been growing and Arne Slot’s decision to hook him 10 minutes into the second-half and move Ryan Gravenberch back into defence told its own story. Liverpool may have to replace the France international at the end of the season and right now, that is not looking like a bad idea.
Tony Mogan, assistant sports editor
Moises Caicedo the difference-maker once again
A third goal in seven league games proves Moises Caicedo is far more than just a holding midfielder.
The Ecuadorian has an eye for the spectacular and proved that once again, but he also dominated the midfield battle throughout the ninety.
Ben Fleming, sports reporter
Liverpool have surrendered momentum to Arsenal
Yes, yes, it is early days. But there is mounting evidence to suggest this Liverpool side, now trailing Arsenal at the top of the Premier League, will not be defending their crown this season.
Three defeats on the bounce have highlighted issues that already look extremely worrying. Aside from the catalogue of concerns in defence, Mohamed Salah’s waning influence is becoming a common theme. Debatable assist aside, Alexander Isak was largely anonymous on his second league start.
Arsenal’s win over West Ham earlier in their day moved them top and with the Gunners strengthening across the board in the summer, there are no real weaknesses in the squad. Momentum has shifted towards north London for now.
Tony Mogan, assistant sports editor
Joao Pedro quiet spell continues
After a fast start, it has proved a quieter few weeks for Joao Pedro at the top of the pitch.
The Brazilian has no goals in his last six games and has had just two shots on goal in his last 450 minutes. Enzo Maresca certainly needs his striker to find his shooting boots again.
Ben Fleming, sports reporter
Injuries continue to mount for Enzo Maresca
Three points but another two injuries for Chelsea after Josh Acheampong and Benoit Badiashile were forced off in the second half.
Time will tell as to how serious they are, but Maresca could return from the international break with ten players on the treatment table. The Italian has not looked to blame the Club World Cup, but Chelsea’s shortened pre-season is surely causing issues already.
Ben Fleming, sports reporter
Fellow full-back Conor Bradley was brought off at half-time to be replaced by Florian Wirtz, with Slot noting: ‘Most of the times I have to change the fullbacks after being on yellow. Today Conor Bradley was on a yellow card.
‘He made a second foul and players were asking for a yellow again, so you wonder if it’s smart to keep him on the pitch. We decided not to and we needed Florian to come into the game.’
Elsewhere in defence, there was concern for Ibrahima Konate, who limped off early in the second half to be replaced by Curtis Jones.
Asked about the Frenchman’s condition, Slot added: ‘I don’t know if it’s a big injury but I know he limped a little bit. He said he felt his quad.
‘For me, alarm bells go on because you never know if with another sprint how that’s going to go.
‘It was already a substitution I had in mind for a little bit later because the right centre-back had a lot of ball possession. We needed to create from that position and we all know that Ryan is quite good there.
‘It was clear I had to take Konate off. He played three games in a week with a four and a half hour flight each way (to Istanbul) in between.
‘When Ryan started to play in that position we were able to get our attackers into much more promising situations. We had to do better in the build up and we did that in the second half.’
from: elfutbolero.us