Chris Sutton has suggested that Arne Slot appears to have suddenly lost faith in one particular Liverpool player.

Chris Sutton believes that Arne Slot has rapidly lost confidence in one of Liverpool’s summer signings, Milos Kerkez.

The Hungarian full-back joined the Reds from Bournemouth in late June and initially established himself as Slot’s first-choice left-back at the beginning of the season. However, his fortunes have shifted dramatically in recent weeks. Kerkez has been left out of the starting XI for Liverpool’s last three matches, with Andy Robertson reclaiming the spot against Aston Villa, Real Madrid, and Manchester City.

Speaking on BBC’s Monday Night Club podcast, Sutton said he thinks Slot no longer trusts the 22-year-old defender:

> “Arne Slot hung his hat on Kerkez at the start of the season, Robertson was out in the cold and, all of a sudden, I think he has lost faith in Kerkez.”

Kerkez has come under scrutiny from pundits such as Paul Scholes and Gary Neville for some shaky performances, but Slot had publicly backed his player last month, praising his energy and defensive qualities after a difficult outing against Manchester United.

Despite losing his place, Kerkez still has a chance to reclaim his spot in the side. With Liverpool competing on multiple fronts this season — and with the FA Cup campaign to begin in January — squad rotation will be essential. His upcoming international fixtures could provide the perfect opportunity to rediscover form and prove his worth.

While Robertson has been impressive since returning to the team, Kerkez’s challenge now is to seize any chance that comes his way and convince Slot that he deserves to be back in Liverpool’s starting lineup.