- Andy Robertson has urged his team to step up after dropping points in the title race.
- Liverpool lost the opportunity to reach the top after suffering defeat against Crystal Palace
- Have Liverpool been mentally torpedoed by Man United? Listen to the everything is beginning podcast
Andrew Robertson has lamented the miserable combination of wasteful finishing and lax defending that is betraying Liverpool’s bid to become champions.
The Scotland international was one of his team’s best players in the ruinous 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace and only his stunning intervention in the 28th minute, clearing his own line, prevented the situation from getting even worse.
Liverpool have a habit of falling behind in games this season, but often find a way to win. On this occasion, however, they couldn’t get away with it as they squandered a number of glorious chances in the second half to give themselves a fighting chance of success.
“It’s been the story of the last few games and that’s why we’ve been punished,” Robertson complained.
“We are struggling to keep a clean sheet at the moment. I don’t know how many we’ve had in the last 10 or 15 games but it won’t be many. When you do that, you have to take risks, it’s that simple.
Andy Robertson criticized his team’s poor finishing and terrible defense against Crystal Palace
Liverpool suffered a 1-0 defeat at Anfield on Sunday and dropped points in the title race.
Liverpool are two points behind Manchester City, but remain tied on 71 points with Arsenal.
‘The boys in front of goal have to do better. But the guys at the back, as a defensive unit as a whole, we have to do better.
‘It’s not a big thing for success. It was very frustrating, we had so many opportunities. In the first half I thought we were poor and they were ahead and could have been more than 1-0 up.
“In the second half we had enough opportunities to win two or three games.”
That may be true, but it also doesn’t reflect how well Crystal Palace played. Oliver Glasner’s team were well-drilled, tactically excellent and worked from the first shot to the last.
They deserved any stroke of luck that came their way and had had several standouts.
“You always want to defend well and attack well, but in the first half I really liked the confidence,” said Glasner, who feels this victory has effectively ensured his team’s safety.
‘Liverpool exerts a lot of pressure but we played and scored the first goal with 20 passes and many players in the area.
Robertson admitted his frustration and said his team’s first-half performance was poor.
Eberechi Eze put the visitors 1-0 with a goal from the throw in the 14th minute
Oliver Glasner admitted that the victory effectively guaranteed the safety of his Crystal Palace team
‘This is what we work on. We have a lot to do to maintain this intensity for the 95 minutes and free ourselves from the pressure of the second half.
“We had a great chance after the set piece, but we didn’t have the situations we created in the first half. We need to defend as a fantastic unit.”