We want teams to fear Liverpool – Robertson
ANDY ROBERTSON wants Liverpool to become a team feared in dressing-rooms across the country as Jurgen Klopp’s side prepare for Thursday’s top-of-the-table meeting with Manchester City.
Liverpool could extend their lead at the Premier League summit into double figures with victory at the Etihad, though defending champions City will be determined to peg the leaders back.
Pep Guardiola, the City manager, has said his side’s title challenge will be “over” if they fail to win on Thursday, while also describing Liverpool as perhaps the best team in the world.
Much the same was said about City this time last year, when Guardiola’s side remained unbeaten in the league and boasted a commanding lead at the top of the table.
After Saturday’s thumping 5-1 victory over Arsenal at Anfield, Robertson admitted that the Liverpool dressing-room would sometimes speak about City’s dominance during last season.
The full-back is not sure whether Liverpool carry that same aura just yet, though when asked if it is something they hope to achieve, he said: “Of course. If teams are coming here maybe a bit worried then of course that works to our advantage.
“But it only works to our advantage if we make it. Today we did that by going behind (against Arsenal) and we hit them hard straight after it so it was really good.
“If people are worrying coming here then it’s a good sign for us, but it’s up to us to continue that and we need to keep winning games by doing that.”
Robertson added: “We spoke about City last season and I’m sure every other team did. They were very hard to beat. Of course we did it here in the league and the Champions League but in the league, not many people could touch them.
“But the thing is, they completed it and they’ve got their winners’ medal and the trophy. Just now, we have nothing and that’s why at the end of the season, hopefully we can talk about it.”
Liverpool were victorious on their last visit to the Etihad, winning 2-1 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate in April to progress to the Champions League semi-finals.
Robertson does not believe that victory can be compared to the challenge awaiting Liverpool on Thursday given the two-legged, knock-out nature of the previous meeting.
The Scot suggested, in fact, that City’s greater experience of winning the Premier League title will be equally – if not more – important a factor when they meet again on Thursday.
“The thing is about the difference in the Champions League game is they obviously had to win by four goals or whatever so they had to come out,” he said. “They only need to win by one on Thursday.
“Look, they’re a fantastic team, a very experienced team and they’ve been in this position before. They’ve won the title. It’s something that we’ve never had. They’re probably more experienced than us in this position but we look forward to it.”
Meanwhile, Cardiff City boss Neil Warnock has confirmed that they are interested in signing Robertson’s team-mate Nathaniel Clyne.
“We’ve spoken to Liverpool early on in the window but he’s their player and he’ll decide,” said Warnock.
“I’ve always liked Nathaniel and we are looking at that position, but that would fill our loans up and mean we can’t sign a striker.” (© Independent News Service)