Why Robertson did not want to face Liverpool as Tottenham transfer explained

The Scotland captain called time on his Reds career earlier this summer, departing at the end of his contract after a trophy-laden nine years on Merseyside.

The 32-year-old ended up joining Spurs on a free transfer, having ultimately decided against leaving for North London midway through last season.

Robertson came on as a 57th minute substitute in Liverpool’s 3-1 League Cup third round win over Spurs, taking the captain’s armband as he received a standing ovation from supporters and was serenaded when taking to the pitch.

He then received the same reception following the final whistle as he saluted the Kop when making his first appearance back at his old club since departing.

Admitting it was a strange feeling to return to Anfield as an opposing player, Robertson explained that he would have preferred to wait longer to be back playing at Liverpool.

“Yeah, it was strange. Obviously I looked at the fixtures when they first came out, you look at Liverpool away,” he said on the Stick to Football Podcast, premiered on Disney+. “And it was December, and I'm thinking I'm quite happy with that, I can get my feet under the table with Tottenham.

“And then the cup competition, we beat Charlton at home and everyone's running around the changing room going, "You're going back!" (groans).

“But no, it was great, you know what I mean? 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.”

Get the best Liverpool FC news and analysis straight to your Inbox courtesy of the Echo!

Yours in just two simple steps.

Robertson also revealed that he never wanted to leave Liverpool back in January despite Spurs making their first move for his services.

But realising at that point that he would be departing the Reds at the end of his contract, he also admitted that Tottenham were the only he wanted to join - provided they avoided relegation from the Premier League.

“I'd say probably January time (is when I realised I’d be leaving), I nearly left in January,” he said. “I didn't want to leave but Tottenham came in for me.

“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.

“It was always Tottenham, as long as they stayed up. 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.”

FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE! All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook page