Has Antonee Robinson just passed his audition to become Andy Robertson’s heir at Liverpool? | OneFootball

Antonee Robinson is a man with a lot of interest, and it’s easy to see why.

As the January transfer window fast approaches, the Fulham left-back is being linked with moves to the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool. The latter may be following his progress quite closely.

For years now Liverpool have been able to boast the best full-back pairing in the Premier League: Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson. When combining with the Reds’ wingers, Alexander-Arnold and Robertson have made Liverpool brutal in attack.

Their creativity has been second-to-none across defenders in the Premier League in recent years, which has seen Alexander-Arnold in particular linked with the likes of Real Madrid. While Alexander-Arnold continues to thrive — and he is the more pressing topic as his contract is up in the summer — Robertson has slowed down slightly.

Which is where Robinson comes in. Between Robertson and Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool have had the defender with the most assists in a Premier League calendar year every year since 2018. Before that, Newcastle United‘s Kieran Trippier took the title in 2017 with nine assists in just 23 games. Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta joined him on nine assists, albeit in 39 matches.

In the years since, Robertson has taken the most assists crown three times (2018, 2020 and 2022), with Alexander-Arnold also leading on three occasions (2019, 2021 and 2023). In 2019, Alexander-Arnold put in a ridiculous year with 17 assists in 33 Premier League games — Robertson was second that year, with 13 assists in 37 games.

But that run has now come to an end. In 2024, the crown belongs to Robinson — not Robertson.

Robinson has provided 10 assists in 2024 across 37 games played, four more than any other defender. The American’s 10 assists also places him just outside the top five across Premier League players as a whole this calendar year. Only Mohamed Salah (13), Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer (both 13), Kevin De Bruyne (12) and Son Heung-min (11) provided more assists in 2024 than Robinson.

This comes despite the fact that Robinson has only created 39 chances in the calendar year. For Premier League defenders, that places the American fifth. He trails leader Robertson by 26. Robertson also sits second for big chances created on 13, six more than Robinson’s seven (sixth). But Robertson has seen those chances converted to just two assists in 32 games.

In terms of the quality of chances created, Robinson has recorded an Expected Assists value of 4.34 across the calendar year, 4.31 of which have come from open-play. Robertson, meanwhile, had 5.59 xA and 4.39 xA from open play.

Of course, style of play will influence these numbers, with Liverpool attacking a lot more through their full-backs than Fulham do. Across 2024, Robertson’s average position in the Premier League has him comfortably in the opposition half. Robinson, meanwhile, sits just inside his own half for Fulham in a more compact side.

Earlier this month, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher insisted the Reds needed to sign a new left-back to provide cover for Robertson. Kostas Tsimikas has deputised when the Scot has been absent, but he is current out injured with no replacement to let Robertson rest.

“Right now he needs help,” Carragher told Sky Sports.

“The reason is when he gets that whack he should probably come off, but Liverpool haven’t got any real back-up for him at the moment. He’s going through a tough time but I think it’s something Liverpool need to address in January.”

Two of Robinson’s Premier League assists in 2024 came in Fulham’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool, a game which saw Robertson sent off for the Reds. The American created four chances in total on that afternoon at Anfield, more than any other player for either side. Alexander-Arnold created one, while Robertson did not create a chance in his 17 minutes on the pitch.

When Robertson was suspended for Liverpool’s EFL Cup game against Southampton, Joe Gomez was shifted to the right and academy left-back James Norris made the bench alongside the not-fully-fit Tsimikas.