Liverpool’s Andy Robertson has named Curtis Jones as one of Jurgen Klopp’s new ‘leaders’ in the dressing room. He says Liverpool’s experienced players are helping guide the club’s young stars through the unfamiliar territory of the title race.
Robertson, who recently returned from a three-month injury break, has helped balance out the growing list of injured players at Anfield. Three more players were forced to leave the pitch during the first 45 minutes of their 4-1 win against Brentford. Curtis Jones and striker Diogo Jota, both seen leaving the stadium with protective gear, won’t be fit for the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea next Sunday. Darwin Nunez was also taken off at half-time as a precautionary measure.
Despite the injury woes, manager Jurgen Klopp admitted that they had to “push the brake” on their bad luck. However, Robertson was encouraged by their strong performance at a ground where they had previously lost and drawn. He revealed that Klopp’s group of senior players are playing an increasingly important role in guiding the club’s young stars towards success.
He said: “We spoke about it before the game as we have struggled here in the past, so it was always going to be a difficult game. We were clinical and it was a good team performance. When you win 4-1 at such a tough place, everyone is happy, but three lads came off which is not great as we already had a few injuries before that. To lose three players in one game is difficult so we need to dig deep and stick together like we always have. We will wait and see with the injuries and hopefully they are not so bad, but whatever the outcome we will go again on Wednesday (against Luton at Anfield).
“Everyone who came in has done so well and even the lads who came on against Brentford did not make a difference in terms of the performance. That is what we need to do if we are to win trophies. We need a whole squad. It is not about an 11-man team, it is about a 25-man squad – and we are certainly making use of that this season.”
Liverpool, two points clear at the summit, are now the Premier League’s top scorers, and in many neutral eyes they are the people’s champions, but Robertson shrugged: “We don’t think about that, to be honest. “We know our fans will support us to the end and want us to win the League and want us to win every competition we are in. We know about the expectation.
“If the neutrals enjoy watching us play, we must be doing something right. But the 1-0 wins are just as important as the 4-1 wins and there are a lot of tough games to come. I have always been a senior figure, even in the previous seasons when we maybe had more natural leaders, but now we have young lads who have stepped in, players like Curtis Jones, who are now leaders.
“It is about the collective, about everyone talking, about everyone getting along. We have lost quite a few players who were in the squad last season and, to some of the lads, this is alien to them as they have not done it before. But the experienced lads try to put that across and try to help them. Man City are the most experienced as they (won) have the most titles and they can benefit massively from their previous seasons.
“Arsenal will benefit massively from last season, so they look in a stronger spot. It will be about who does it best until the end of the season. You talk to the younger lads every single day, you try and help them and tell them about your experiences.
“A lot of other players helped me when I was younger. Now it is my turn to do it to the others. Conor Bradley plays in a similar position to me and I speak to him all the time. The young lads are receptive and take it on board. I think they quite enjoy it.”