In 32 minutes at Hampden on Tuesday night, Andy Robertson’s last few months at Liverpool were succinctly summarized.
First came the nightmare of an inadequate clearance that fell right at Jude Bellingham’s feet and gave England a 2-0 lead over Scotland.
Then, in the second half, Robertson somewhat atoned for his mistake when Harry Maguire, a substitute for the Three Lions, haphazardly pushed his incisive run into the box and cross into his own goal.
The left-back had not helped the large center-back since they were teammates for Hull City against Middlesbrough in April 2017. The Scotland captain, however, couldn’t help but think back to that early error.
After England eventually triumphed 3-1, Robertson remarked, “The second goal is entirely my fault. “I hate letting this team down, and I felt like I did just that. Given Bellingham’s current form, he’s not going to let you get away with it when you come up against him. I hate giving away goals, but I wasn’t exactly expecting the ball to fall at my feet.
I was forced to apologize to the boss and the team. I did that and just sought to respond positively in the second half, and I believed I had succeeded.
But all of Robertson’s Scottish teammates agreed. Robbo doesn’t need to say anything, according to Angus Gunn, the goalkeeper. “He is our captain and our boss. He was one of the key players in the second half who helped us get back into the game, which speaks highly of his character.
And six years into his Anfield career, Robertson’s temperament has been tested recently at Liverpool due to a number of situations that have been asking him various questions.
Robertson took some time to adjust after moving to Liverpool in the summer of 2017, but now he is a fixture in the starting lineup and a crucial part of how Jurgen Klopp’s team attacked their way to every major award available between 2019 and 2022.
No defender has ever had more assists in Premier League history, with 53 of his 57 coming with the Reds. The 29-year-old’s durability is such that since taking over as Liverpool’s starting left-back after Alberto Moreno injured himself in December 2017, he has missed only 12 of 218 matchday squads, with two of those absences due to suspension.
Robertson shown his courage against England on Tuesday during the second half. But he has already demonstrated at Liverpool that he is open to the challenge of adapting to a Reds club with a fresh appearance.
