The names Liverpool are chasing to replace Andy Robertson… the Reds legend is seeing more and more mistakes creep into his game, writes LEWIS STEELE

A ‘Robbo’ who gallops down the left flank at Anfield like a gazelle, creating opportunities for his teammates at will and keeping a top attacker relatively calm at the other end. Nothing new for Liverpool fans.

Except on Saturday this wasn’t Andy Robertson but Fulham’s Antonee Robinson. Say the names quickly and they sound the same.

With the Scotland captain sent off after 17 minutes for a tug on Harry Wilson as the last man returned – minutes after deflecting a shot into his own goal – Robertson was forced to watch from a distance as Robinson put on a storming display with two assists to fire Fulham to some extent.

Cottagers boss Marco Silva was effusive in his praise for the action-packed American, saying: ‘What a performance. It is difficult to express in words. This season he is so decisive. He was brave, assertive and appropriately aggressive when he faced Mohamed Salah.

“He was up and down every time and he’s one of the greats in our locker room, with the way he works and the way he plays.”

Asked whether Robinson, the Fulham captain, is the best left-back in the league on current form, Silva added: ‘You ask any Fulham manager but of course I’m going to say yes.

Robertson could not prevent Andreas Pereira from opening the scoring at Anfield

He was subsequently shown a straight red card for bringing down Harry Wilson when he was on target

‘I don’t want to talk too much about him because I know the same story about Robinson will follow in January! Whether he is the best or not is not up to me, my players are always the best!’

However, this must have been difficult for the home fans to watch as their own left-back is far from his best and has not reached his top level in the last twelve months.

Social media warriors would have you believe Robertson finished at the highest level, but that’s not the case. However, it is clear that the 30-year-old is seeing mistakes creep into his game more often – and left-back is a position Liverpool will be looking to improve in the coming transfer windows.

Robinson, 27, has provided more assists than any Premier League defender since the start of last season. Born in Milton Keynes, the American international, who qualified through his father, started life at Everton but had to drop back to Bolton and Wigan before he could compete at this level again.

In any case, this season it will be a challenge to find a better left back in the Premier League. Certainly not Robertson, Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol has been nervous in recent weeks, while the same can be said about Marc Cucurella at Chelsea.

But it is uncertain whether he would be a serious target due to Liverpool’s desire to sign players in a slightly younger age bracket. He will be 28 when next season starts and for the money Fulham will surely quote, the Reds hierarchy may look elsewhere.

A more realistic option for a left-back signing, and a player whose name has often cropped up, is Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, the 21-year-old who is good friends with compatriot and Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai.

It is believed that Slot was fond of Kerkez and then at AC Milan when he managed AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands. Something else worth mentioning is that Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes signed the left-back from his former club Bournemouth before moving to Anfield this year.

Fulham’s Antonee Robinson created a storm and kept Mohamed Salah quiet

Milos Kerkez and Rayan Ait-Nouri are possible left-back targets for Liverpool in the future

Another possibility could be Wolves’ Rayan Ait-Nouri, while top Premier League clubs will be keeping an eye on 24-year-old Alphonso Davies of Bayern Munich as his contract expires in the summer.

None of this is to say that Robertson’s days are indeed numbered at Anfield. He still has a lot to give and told reporters last month how he wanted to “prove people wrong” after fans questioned him about what he said was the first time in his career.

Liverpool also have a capable deputy in Kostas Tsimikas, although the Greece international is currently injured. And the elephant in every room when it comes to squad planning is whether players like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah, who are out of contract, will stay put.

But Robinson’s reckless display for Fulham has given Reds fans a reason to reminisce about the days when their own left-back did just that every week. Robertson is a Liverpool legend but needs to bounce back after making too many mistakes in recent months.