ReactionAndy Robertson on his last Merseyside derby: 'You can't ask for much better'
The Reds claimed an important 2-1 victory in Sunday's Premier League clash – the first meeting of the teams at Hill Dickinson Stadium – thanks to Virgil van Dijk's 100th-minute header.
Mohamed Salah had opened the scoring with a clinical finish for the visitors during the first half and Beto levelled after the break.
Post-match, Robertson reflected on the win by speaking to Liverpoolfc.com and discussed a range of topics, including goalkeeper Freddie Woodman's league debut for the club as a substitute.
See what the No.26 had to say below…
On feeling like Liverpool were the more likely team to score a winner...
Yes, I think so. I thought [in the] first half we were excellent and were really in control. I thought actually when we conceded the goal we were the dominant and most in control. [It felt like] it was just a matter of time before we got the second [after we scored]. I've been here long enough and I know how Merseyside derbies go and sometimes when you've got momentum, sometimes you get punished. I think that's what we did. We took a little bit of time to recover, and we just had to keep pushing and then a set-piece right at the death, you can't ask for much better than that and it was great to see the away end react how they did.
On Rio Ngumoha's late chance and whether it gave the team belief to go on and score the winner...
Yeah, that was too early for us so we decided to leave that one! No, Rio had a great chance, which I'm sure he would have hoped to have done better with. But we started knocking at the door a little bit. When you get the set-piece you always believe when you've got Virgil and you've got Ibou [Konate] in the team, you always believe that they can get on the end of it and thankfully the big man popped up. It's a massive three points for us.
On Woodman's role in the squad and his importance...
I take the mickey out of him a lot and me and Freddie always have a laugh and a joke but he's a credit to himself. Since he has come in he has been unbelievable. Whether that's Mo Salah wanting to stay out and take penalties an hour after training – Woody is the one that is out there – or whether it's running after the game as well. I've dragged him out after PSG and he got through it with the lads and he is always there for everyone and always there to support. These people in a club like this are so important. Maybe they don't always get the credit they deserve and get the limelight or things like that, but when he walked back in the changing room he got a nice reception.
He's a well-loved player in our changing room, he has a great personality and he's fitted in so well. It took him a couple of weeks to actually talk to any of us – I think he was a bit nervous! But once he settled down, he has been a credit to himself. I think he showed his quality as well. Forget about the personality but I think he showed his qualities, his composure on the ball and the little header and pass out to me. He's got a massive amount of quality, but we are very lucky to have good goalkeepers. Ali [Alisson Becker] is the best in the world so hopefully he is back soon and hopefully Giorgi [Mamardashvili]'s isn't too bad, but if these two are out then we all fully believe Woody is the one to step up and I think he showed that today.
On the game being his last Merseyside derby...
I've loved the Merseyside derby. They are the games I will look back on in the nine years I have been at Liverpool that kind of got the best out of me, [they] always got the juices flowing inside me and today was no different. When I got the nod yesterday, me and Mo spoke about it and said, 'Let's just go and enjoy it.' It's our last one and we've had so many great memories in the Merseyside derby, so many highs, a couple of lows but not too many. They are fantastic games to be involved in and I'm going to miss them, that's for sure.