Liverpool defender Andy Robertson has provided encouraging and welcoming news on his fitness levels, saying he feels no pain after spending more than five months of 2024 struggling with a shoulder injury, – one that kept him on the sidelines for four months which meant he featured only 30 times for the Reds – the fewest he has played since joining Liverpool.
For the majority of pre-season, the Scotland captain worked separately away from the main group as he recovered from his injury, with his only appearance coming in the goalless draw behind-closed-doors match with Las Palmas on August 11 – as he was almost certain to miss the Premier League opener away at Ipswich Town on Saturday.
The relieved left-back was happy to be back on the field again as he played 79 minutes before making way for Kostas Tsimikas who featured and impressed in every pre-season match.
Andy Roberston revealed as reported by the Liverpool Echo that he had been playing with pain at the tail end of last season for both club and country. He wanted to be a part of the final days of an illustrious Klopp mangerial career as Liverpool manager, as well as leading his side in the Euros.
“I felt really good today, all things considered,” Robertson said after Saturday’s game. “Look, I was playing in pain from March onwards and obviously It was a really important time for the club and then a really important time for my country.
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“I hoped that the three weeks off would have settled things down but it didn’t and I needed a wee bit longer.
“So I managed to get my fitness up to a really good level in terms of not being with the team, which was hugely frustrating.
“But I made sure I was in America, in every team meeting going, asking the coaches questions, things like that, and trying to learn even when I could not be on the pitch.
“I knew that would put me in the best possible shape when I was on the pitch.
“There’s still lots to learn for all of us – it’s a completely new way of playing and new philosophy and everything. It will take a bit of time, of course it will.
“Obviously coming off towards the end, I started to get a little bit tired, which is normal, but I felt good today, I feel good. I am pain free for the first time in five months, which is always positive, so long may it continue.”
Robertson added: “(Slot) wasn’t happy (at half time, against Ipswich) but we knew that as well. We weren’t happy with our performance and he wasn’t as well.
“He tried to help us to see how we could maybe be a bit better on the ball and get a bit closer to the ball when they had it.
“But like I said, it’s the Premier League and it’s incredibly tough. Ipswich played a good first half, they were on it and they had their fans behind them and we maybe didn’t react to that as well as we possibly could.
“But second half we did and before a ball was kicked, the aim today was to win the game and to keep a clean sheet and we managed to do that.”
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