Manager encouraged to bench Liverpool player in upcoming Champions League match.

Liverpool is gearing up for the knockout stages of the Champions League, with manager Arne Slot facing a tough decision of dropping a key player for the upcoming matches. Despite their struggles in the Premier League, where they currently sit in sixth place, the Reds have been performing well in Europe. They finished third in their group, winning six out of eight games and earning a favorable last-16 tie against Galatasaray.

Galatasaray may be at the top of the Turkish Super Lig, but they struggled in the Champions League group stage, finishing in 20th place and losing half of their matches. As such, Liverpool is expected to advance to the next round, with the first leg taking place in Turkey on Tuesday night. The Reds are coming off a shock defeat to Wolves in the Premier League, but they bounced back with a win in the FA Cup, with star player Andy Robertson leading the way with a goal and an assist.

Robertson, a Liverpool legend, has been overshadowed by new signing Milos Kerkez, who was brought in for a whopping £40m last summer. However, football pundits Alan Shearer and Micah Richards believe that the experienced Robertson should be given the nod for the Champions League games. With over 350 appearances for Liverpool and multiple titles under his belt, Robertson's experience and leadership could be crucial in the knockout stages.

On The Rest is Football podcast, host Gary Lineker posed the question to Shearer and Richards, asking if they think Robertson should have played more this season. While acknowledging the importance of bringing in new blood like Kerkez, Richards believes that Robertson's experience and consistency make him the better choice for big games. Shearer concurs, saying that he would also choose Robertson in such situations.

Liverpool's last-16 tie against Galatasaray will be a crucial one, with the winner facing either PSG or Chelsea in the quarter-finals. The two teams have a history, having met five times in total, with Galatasaray winning two of those games. In the meantime, Liverpool will also have to focus on their Premier League campaign, with a match against Tottenham in between their two legs against Galatasaray.

It will be a challenging period for the Reds, but with players like Robertson leading the way, they will be determined to come out on top.