Andy Robertson has backed his Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp’s appeal for help from football’s governing bodies in a bid to limit the number of injuries players are picking up.
The 2020-21 season is a condensed one on account of the previous campaign finishing late due to the coronavirus pandemic. As such, teams are being forced into quick turnarounds in order to fulfil their fixtures.
Klopp has been vocal on the subject, and hit out at the broadcast partners for his side being asked to play games so close together.
The German has also called on the Premier League to follow the lead of the Champions League and other divisions across Europe by allowing teams to make five substitutions.
Klopp feels those measures would ease the burden on the players and result in fewer injuries, and it is a view Reds full-back Roberstson agrees with.
"The schedule is hectic, there’s no secret of that, because of Covid and we had to kind of make up time and stuff,” Robertson said at a press conference ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Ajax in the Champions League on Tuesday.
“But the schedule is always going to be hectic, we knew that, and the schedule can’t change because we need to get all these games in, in all the different competitions.
“We get our heads around that but I just think maybe we could get a little bit more help from it.
“My manager has been probably the most vocal on it, but I know a lot of managers are maybe crying out for five substitutions or different things that can maybe help.
“I know up in Scotland they’ve got five substitutions just now and I know, by speaking to their boys, it makes a massive difference, because their schedule is also hectic.
“I just believe we should be trying to help the players. I don’t know the exact percentage or the exact number but a lot more muscle injuries have happened this season. It seems every game I watch on telly or every game I’m involved in, somebody is going off injured with something.
“I think the Premier League is the best league in the world but you want your best players on there and you want all squads to have their best team available and being able to compete for different things. We’re maybe not seeing that as much just now because players are unfortunately picking up muscle injuries.
“I just think maybe we could get a little bit more help. We’ll crack on with it and let that kind of get decided elsewhere. As it stands we’ll prepare for a game every three days and we’ll try to be as fit and as healthy as possible.”
Robertson will keep his foot on the gas on Tuesday, as a win would be enough to guarantee Liverpool's progression to the knockout stages of the Champions League.
