Andy Robertson has admitted he did not want to face Liverpool at Anfield so soon after leaving the club. The former Reds full-back returned to his old stomping ground far earlier than expected following Tottenham Hotspur’s League Cup third-round 3-1 defeat earlier this month.
Robertson departed Anfield on a free transfer at the end of his contract after a decorated nine-year spell on Merseyside.Having completed his move to Tottenham over the summer, he stepped onto the pitch as a 57th-minute substitute during Spurs’defeat at Anfield.
Cup draw disruption
Speaking in a detailed interview on Stick to Football, Robertson explained how he immediately checked Tottenham's fixture schedule after completing his move to North London. The Scotland captain had initially hoped his return to Anfield would fall much later in the campaign.
"Yeah, it was strange," Robertson said. "Obviously I looked at the fixtures when they first came out, you look at Liverpool away."
The Premier League calendar set that fixture for December, giving Robertson time to adjust to his new surroundings. "And it was December, and I'm thinking I'm quite happy with that, I can get my feet under the table with Tottenham," he added.
However, the League Cup draw upended those plans. After Tottenham overcame Charlton Athletic in the second round, the draw sent Spurs straight to Anfield for the third round.
"And then the cup competition, we beat Charlton at home and everyone's running around the changing room going, 'You're going back!' (groans)," Robertson recalled.
Despite his reluctance to face his former side so quickly, Robertson expressed gratitude for the reception he received from the Liverpool supporters upon stepping onto the pitch.
"But no, it was great, you know what I mean?" he said. "In terms of reception I got off the home fans. It was a long time there, and to go back and be in another colour but still get that reception, it was nice."
Fresh impact down the flank
Robertson’s introduction after 57 minutes injected directness down Tottenham’s left flank as Roberto De Zerbi’s side chased the game. His familiarity with the Anfield pitch and knowledge of his former teammates' pressing traps offered Spurs valuable tactical awareness, even though Liverpool ultimately controlled the closing stages to seal a 3-1 victory with goals from Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
The match emphasised just how quickly Robertson has transitioned into his new role in North London, where he already provides vital experience and squad depth alongside Destiny Udogie.
The winter approach and summer move
Reflecting on his departure from Anfield, Robertson revealed that he first realized his nine-year stay on Merseyside was drawing to a close midway through last season.
"I'd say probably January time (is when I realised I'd be leaving), I nearly left in January," Robertson revealed.
Tottenham lodged an approach during the winter window while struggling near the bottom of the table, but Robertson opted against a mid-season departure.
"I didn't want to leave but Tottenham came in for me," he said. "Obviously they were bang in trouble at that point. I just didn't feel… it was never in my plan to leave in January. I had six months left, and I think I had the World Cup and things like that. I think in January time it started becoming real that I was going to leave, and that's when I kind of came to peace with it, really."
Once he accepted that his time at Liverpool was concluding, Spurs remained his primary destination provided they secured their top-flight status.
"It was always Tottenham, as long as they stayed up," Robertson explained. "Do you know what I mean? At that point, it was like, I didn't want to go to the Championship with Tottenham. So, that was the thing, I ended up getting invested in Tottenham games, I like watching Tottenham's results. No, 'I didn't think they'd go down'. Especially when De Zerbi came in, I was fully confident (they'd stay up). But yeah, as long as they stayed up, it was going to be Tottenham. They showed their interest first, they really wanted me, and I was happy with how much they wanted me, really."
Robertson will not face his former club again until Tottenham make their scheduled Premier League trip to Anfield in December the very fixture he originally hoped would mark his first game back on Merseyside.