‘Milly held his nerve to inch us closer to the title’
IT was only October, but when James Milner scored a stoppage-time penalty to move Liverpool eight points clear at the top of the table as they beat Leicester 2-1, it felt like a huge moment for Andy Robertson.
The season before, a goalline clearance by Manchester City’s John Stones denied Liverpool a goal in a big moment in the title race when, as technology showed, the ball was over the line barring the smallest of margins.
“Eleven millimetres. It is 0.4333 inches. A thumbnail. Half the width of a pound coin,” said Robertson. “It is also, perhaps, the distance that was the difference between us winning the league title and being runners-up in 2018-19.
“For these reasons our game against Leicester will be viewed as one of the pivotal fixtures.
“When James Maddison equalised with 10 minutes left, the expectation of most people would have been we were destined for a draw.
“By refusing to accept our fate, it caused Marc Albrighton to make a mistake under pressure. He nicked the ball off Divock Origi’s toe, but then there was a communication breakdown between him and Kasper Schmeichel.
“Sadio (Mane) picks up the ball and Albrighton makes a clumsy challenge, catching his shin. While everyone focuses on the referee, Hendo (Jordan Henderson) calmly picks the ball up and passes it to Milly. It couldn’t be a bigger moment, just like the one at the Etihad nine months earlier when we went within those 11 millimetres of taking a crucial lead.
“This time, fate was in our hands – or rather Milly’s right foot.”