Andy Robertson believes Liverpool should start “respecting ourselves” by using how Manchester United and Bayern Munich organised themselves against them as a mark of how highly they are rated.
Liverpool’s 0-0 draw at United on Sunday meant Jürgen Klopp’s side missed a chance to pull three points ahead of Manchester City with 11 matches remaining. Robertson pointed to how United and Bayern attempted to stymie them and wants this to be an inspiration the next time it occurs. The Champions League last-16 opening leg against the German club at Anfield last Tuesday was also a goalless draw.
“Big teams like Bayern and Manchester United are full of world-class stars and they changed their way of playing to try to stop us,” the left-back told Liverpool’s website.
“We need to take that as a mark of respect and not shy away from it, stand up to that and show them why there is respect. These big teams are showing us respect but maybe we need to start respecting ourselves.”
The draw on Sunday was disrupted by an injury-strewn first half during which United’s manager, Ole Gunner Solskjær, had to make all three of his allowed substitutions, as Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and Ander Herrera sustained hamstring problems. Klopp had to take Roberto Firmino off because of a sore ankle.
Robertson said: “Four substitutions in the first half is unheard of in a game like that and the ones that went off were struggling. We need to deal with that better because the game still was on and when the game stopped it kind of killed our momentum and we had to go again.
“We should have been at full throttle after all the pauses in the game. We need to work on that. A point at Old Trafford is never a bad result. It could have been more, and we are not hiding away from that, but we got a point and go back top of the Premier League.”