In the fourth round of this season's Champions League group stage, Liverpool secured a 1-0 home victory over Real Madrid. Liverpool defender Andrew Robertson gave a post-match interview.
On the match
Everyone gave their all for each other, and the quality of our play came through. I thought their goalkeeper was absolutely outstanding – he really kept us at bay. We created several excellent chances early in the second half. Overall, it was a satisfying evening. Those crucial three points are vital for us, and we press on.
It always seems to happen against you lot – the opposition keeper pulls off a gem of a performance (laughs). But your patience was evident tonight too; the whole team seemed convinced that moment would eventually arrive.
Yes, you just have to keep persevering. Perhaps those who played in the Paris final might have felt a sense of déjà vu (laughs). Courtois really is an incredible goalkeeper, absolutely top-class, and he always seems to produce his best performances against us. It's incredibly difficult to get past him. But thankfully we kept trying to shoot. We believed that if we kept creating chances, we'd eventually score.
Thank goodness Mac Allister stepped up to score that crucial goal. After that, we could have scored a few more. In the latter stages, we shifted more towards defence and counter-attacks, which actually suited our style for the final ten-odd minutes. If our final few passes had been a bit more precise, we might have created more one-on-one opportunities. Regardless, everyone gave their absolute all today, and the substitutes made an impact. This was a tremendous victory achieved by the entire squad.
The recent run of clean sheets must be crucial for building momentum, right?
Indeed, this is where victories begin. Too often this season we've needed three goals to win, and that simply isn't sustainable. We managed it early on, but it wasn't a viable long-term approach. The truly consistent way to win is through clean sheets – results like 1-0 or 2-0. Occasional goals conceded are acceptable, but the key is maintaining control. I believe we've reclaimed that command in the last two matches.
Consistency is paramount now. That was our pre-match theme: reclaiming that steadiness. We certainly achieved that today. Sunday brings another tough challenge though. We've expended a lot physically this week, so it'll be demanding. But compared to last week, our confidence is higher now, which is tremendously encouraging.
Mac Allister earned the Man of the Match award, though there were several contenders tonight – Connor Bradley, for instance, was absolutely outstanding.
I wouldn't be surprised if it went to Conor (laughs). Perhaps I'm a bit biased towards full-backs, but he was truly outstanding tonight. He defended superbly against one of the world's top players. Conor is an immensely talented player, and people sometimes forget how young he still is. I constantly remind him that consistency is key right now. Conor has always possessed this potential, but the real test is delivering consistently at this level. He's now getting regular opportunities and his confidence is growing. I reckon his performance tonight surpassed even his excellent display against Real Madrid last season. He was also very good against Villa. Two high-quality performances in succession – now it's about sustaining that form.
Consistency is notoriously difficult for young players, but we'll support him. He possesses all the attributes to become Liverpool's first-choice right-back for many years to come. The key is staying grounded – he's a good lad and very humble. But beyond that, he needs to take another step forward in consistency, and that's where we can assist him.
Finally, on tonight's atmosphere. You've played in many classic European nights, but this feeling never grows old, does it?
It was absolutely magnificent. After we scored, it seemed as though someone had collapsed, and the noise in that moment was deafening. We were all looking back, taking it all in, thinking: yes, this is where you want to play, this is the kind of game you want to be part of. That's the energy the fans bring, and that's the strength of this club. The atmosphere tonight was truly special. We've needed this kind of support throughout the season. European night fans don't need much to get fired up; they ignite quickly. And we gave them what they wanted from the outset – high pressure, winning challenges, winning duels. We knew the fans would respond immediately. They certainly helped us withstand the pressure in the closing stages and see the game out. Credit to them. Overall, it was a very satisfying night.
ksantos
14
It very very wrong by Arne to drop Robertson from any of the previous matches, I think the reason is very clear