Liverpool can’t afford any more slip-ups, says Robertson

LONDON: Liverpool cannot afford any more slip-ups if they are to keep their title hopes alive, defender Andy Robertson said ater Sunday’s 1-0 Premier League home defeat by Crystal Palace.

Eberechi Eze scored the only goal of the game in the 14th minute to leave Juergen Klopp’s side third on 71 points, level with second-placed Arsenal, who were stunned 2-0 at home by Aston Villa.

Manchester City lead on 73 points with six games let.

Liverpool, who were held 2-2 by Manchester United in their previous league game, also face an uphill task in the Europa League ater losing the first leg of their quarter-final against Atalanta 3-0 at home.

“We need to be perfect from here on in, for sure,” Robertson told reporters. “We can’t drop any more points and let’s see what the other two teams (Manchester City and Arsenal) do. We have to stay positive. We don’t stop fighting.

“We have to pick everyone up in the changing room because there’s a lot of people who are down, whether they missed a chance, gave the ball away or whatever it is. We pick up, we go again on Thursday and we give everything we’ve got.”

Liverpool next travel to face Atalanta on Thursday before returning to league action against Fulham.

Klopp said Liverpool lacked conviction in a shock defeat at home to Palace.

“It feels rubbish, 100 percent,” said Klopp. “The first half cost us the problems we couldn’t sort in the second half.

“First half we wanted to show a reaction from the last game. We saw a reaction, just not the one we wanted. You could see the team was not fully convinced. We lacked conviction.”