ROBERTSON: THAT RESULT WAS JUST EMBARRASSING
ROBERTSON FURIOUS AFTER CHAMPIONS’ TAME SEVEN-GOAL SURRENDER TO VILLA
LIVERPOOL defender Andy Robertson labelled his side’s incredible 7-2 thrashing at Aston Villa ‘embarrassing’ and ‘not acceptable’.
The shell-shocked Premier League champions were 4-1 down at half-time at Villa Park after an Ollie Watkins hat-trick and John McGinn strike. Ross Barkley and Jack Grealish, with a brace, then added to the hosts’ tally after the break.
It was the first time the Reds – whose goals came at 2-0 and 5-1 down via Mohamed Salah – had conceded seven in a match since 1963.
Robertson said: ‘At times we couldn’t believe it, to be honest. We weren’t good enough. We never won our second balls, we never won our challenges, we never scored from the chances we did create.
‘All credit goes to Aston Villa, unfortunately. They were better than us. Every competition on the pitch they won and when that happens you’re never going to win a game of football. That result as a Liverpool player is embarrassing.’
Watkins netted the opener in the fourth minute with his first top-flight goal as Villa punished an error by Reds goalkeeper Adrian, setting the tone, and Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said afterwards ‘pretty much everybody made massive mistakes around the goals’. Robertson believes the defending champions will be ready for the Merseyside derby with table-topping Everton in 11 days and added: ‘We made far too many mistakes that ended up in goals. We were well short, well below par.
‘We were 4-1 down in the first half and this Liverpool side believes we could have come back – of course we did.
‘But we go out and concede as many goals in the second half as well. The scoreline becomes embarrassing. We’ll stick together and make sure this performance hopefully never happens again.’