Arne Slot withdraws Milos Kerkez after booking, leaving Liverpool with left-back dilemma

Liverpool manager Arne Slot substituted Milos Kerkez in the 38th minute of Sunday's 1-0 win at Burnley after the left back was booked for simulation, citing a fear the Hungary international could be sent off and leave his side a man down. The early change has intensified the competition for the club's left-back spot with vice-captain Andy Robertson and raised fresh questions about Slot's selection going into a Champions League opener against Atletico Madrid and a Merseyside derby with Everton two days later.

Kerkez, 21, has started every league game since his £40 million move from Bournemouth and had begun the season in and out of form: described as defensively poor in away wins at Bournemouth and Newcastle, solid against Arsenal and then shaky at Turf Moor. Slot said he removed the player because he feared a second booking after Kerkez was shown a yellow card for what the manager described as simulation, a decision that drew protests from Burnley players and a wave of appeals to the referee.

Slot defended the substitution in postmatch comments, saying he was concerned by the combination of Kerkez's foul and the opposing players' reaction to the referee. "I highlighted when he made a foul, six of their players went over to the referee and the referee waved his arms so for me that combination (was the reason for the substitution)," Slot said. He added that Kerkez told him he understood the decision.

The decision rekindles a selection debate. Data compiled from Kerkez’s current campaign and Robertson’s last season show Kerkez ahead in defensive duels and tackles per game, while Robertson remains stronger in attacking metrics. Slot faces a choice between Robertson's experience and Kerkez's recent run of starts as Liverpool prepare to face Diego Simeone's Atlético and David Moyes’s in-form Everton.

The substitution also highlighted aspects of Kerkez's personality and past that have been part of his profile since youth. Former colleagues told Daily Mail Sport that Kerkez was released by Rapid Vienna as a teenager for "behavioural issues" and that he could be "hard to manage." Former Hungary international goalkeeper Adam Bogdan described him as "like a young horse, kicking everything," comments framed by those who know him as reflecting passion rather than malice.

Bogdan, who has spoken to people at Kerkez’s previous clubs, praised the player's work-rate and mentality. "If you look around Europe at left backs in terms of the ability to bomb forward but also defend one-on-one, he has proven that, coupled with his mentality, he is absolutely top class," Bogdan told the Daily Mail. He added that Kerkez's self-confidence and eagerness make him well suited to a top team.

Teammates and club figures have been publicly supportive. Vice-captain Andy Robertson, who started his Liverpool career at a similar age, said Kerkez was among Liverpool's promising young signings and that he intended to push him during the season. "He has a fantastic future ahead of him and he just needs to keep working hard and not let it affect him, which it won't as he's a confident lad," Robertson said after the match. Virgil van Dijk said Kerkez was "a fantastic, aggressive, full-of-energy player who is learning the way of how we play and the intensity." Van Dijk added that Kerkez was "dealing with how it is off the pitch, which is not easy. He is going to be fine."

Sporting director Richard Hughes, who signed Kerkez at Bournemouth and again at Liverpool, backed the capture on the basis of the player's potential. Kerkez's decision to join Liverpool reportedly owed in part to the influence of his close friend Dominik Szoboszlai, the Hungary captain.

Kerkez's personal background has been a recurring theme in profiles. He was born in Serbia but represents Hungary at international level, a choice made at his grandmother’s request. He has spoken publicly about sacrifices during his youth career and a personality that is the same on and off the pitch, telling a Budapest newspaper, "No two faces. How I am on the pitch is how I am outside of it. I am not pretending to be something. I live simply."

Slot's early tactical substitutions have precedent. The manager last took a player off as early for tactical reasons last season when Jarell Quansah was withdrawn in the league opener against Ipswich Town; Quansah is no longer at the club. Slot's readiness to make bold changes reflects a results-driven approach as Liverpool balance domestic and European demands.

Kerkez's first month in red can be characterised as mixed, and the Burnley incident will add to the scrutiny young players face at elite clubs where small mistakes can be magnified. Club sources emphasise the player's resilience and support network: teammates, family members who lived with him in Poole while he was at Bournemouth, and a brother who plays in the Dutch top flight.

Liverpool now head into a pivotal run of fixtures. Slot must decide whether to prioritise experience and stability with Robertson or back Kerkez's recent run of starts as the club opens its Champions League campaign against Atlético and then prepares for the Merseyside derby with little recovery time between matches. The manager's handling of the left-back position will be closely watched as Liverpool seek consistency across all competitions.