ROBBO HAS IMPROVED ME, SAYS TSIMIKAS

LIVERPOOL left-back Kostas Tsimikas has thanked Andy Robertson for helping him to become a better player. Ruled out of the last two games with a knee injury, the Scotland captain is also expected to sit out tonight’s Battle of Britain with Rangers. Greek international stand-in Tsimikas claims the Glaswegian’s help and support from the sidelines has been invaluable — despite the Anfield side’s stuttering form of late. ‘Andy is a very good person and a world-class player,’ says Tsimikas. ‘Whatever I need when I play, he is always there to help me and to show me what I can do better or to help me find where I have to cross, where is the gap. ‘Also, I help him when I am on the bench and I see the game from the outside. He is a good guy. ‘We spend time in the dressing room. We always speak about everything and I really thank him for all this.’ Released by Celtic as a kid, Robertson makes no secret of his support for the Parkhead club. Asked if he wanted to beat Rangers as a favour to an absent team-mate, Tsimikas (pictured) smiled: ‘Of course. It is an important game, even if he wasn’t a Celtic supporter. ‘We want to win this game and the only thing we have to do is be 100-per-cent focused and ready to win this game.’ Liverpool’s other Scottish fullback, £4million signing Calvin Ramsay, has yet to make his debut for the club due to injury. With Trent Alexander-Arnold struggling for form, Tsimikas expects the former Aberdeen starlet to make an Anfield impact. ‘He is a great lad,’ said Tsimikas. ‘When he came to the team and when he was injured, we spent some time together to learn about him and see what kind of guy he is. ‘He will help the team now he is fully fit. I saw him in training and he did very good stuff. When you are a good player, you can challenge the guy who plays in front of you and I think it will be a good competition.’ In the throes of a crisis of confidence, Liverpool’s defence is under growing scrutiny after losing five goals in two Champions League games and another three at the weekend to Brighton. Admitting that has to improve against Rangers, Tsimikas adds: ‘We’ve conceded a lot of goals. We haven’t been compact enough as a defence. ‘It’s been a bad start for all the team but we have to go through it, fight back and defend together. ‘In every team, you defend with all 11 players, so I think we have to be all together and defend properly.’