IT’S A FAIR KOP
Robertson: Reds do row as honesty is the best policy
ANDY ROBERTSON has revealed that honesty is the policy that is underpinning Liverpool’s title tilt.
The pacy defender – who had praise heaped upon him by ex-manchester United boss Jose Mourinho last week – believes Jurgen Klopp’s men are true have-a-go heroes.
The Scotland skipper says there is a dressing-room pact to take flak from a team-mate without it escalating into an on-field row.
And that attitude prevents distractions, cutting out mistakes and boosting the kind of confidence witnessed during the Reds’ seventh straight Premier League win at Molineux on Friday night, which leaves them top at Christmas.
To the naked eye, those verbals went unseen.
But Robertson claimed there was a reason for that, saying: “There were a couple of arguments out there. A couple of things that needed to be said – and they were.
“We all have the attitude that if someone says something to you, you have to take it on the chin.
“If you don’t agree with it, you deal with it at full-time or half-time and speak to one another.
“When you are out on the pitch and it’s 100 miles an hour, you don’t have time to discuss why something was said to you.
“We have spoken together about this as a team. We do discuss things. We have said it’s having that honesty between us which is important. Whether it’s the youngest player – someone like Trent Alexander-arnold – who tells you to do something and he believes it’s right, then you do it. You can go back and ask Trent for an explanation later, if you haven’t agreed with it.
“When people are arguing on the pitch, it can have a negative effect and you can get distracted. I think that’s something the lads have done really well since the start of the season. It shows the respect between us.
“There are a lot of leaders out there now.
“Virgil van Dijk is captain of his country. We have a fantastic captain in Jordan Henderson, who clocked up 300 appearances for the club against Wolves – and that’s a great achievement.
“We’ve got James Milner (below) as well, who is a fantastic professional. There are plenty of leaders – I include Dejan Lovren in that.
“And the more leaders we have out there, the better, as far as I’m concerned.” Robertson also paid tribute to Van Dijk, who netted his first Premier League goal for the Reds that ended Wolves’ dogged resistance.
He added: “I’m getting bored talking about how good he is... only joking. “We knew when we saw Adama Traore playing up front that he’s got great pace. His pace and directness are a big threat – and big Virgil did so well with him.
“I’m sure he will be disappointed he has not scored more goals, but it was a clean sheet and his first Premier League goal. It was pretty much a perfect day for him.
“His impact on the club has been good. He’s been brilliant.
“And he’s just a great lad to have alongside you.”