Robertson Admits Liverpool's Title Defence in Jeopardy
Liverpool defender Andy Robertson has conceded his team faces a "huge uphill battle" to retain their Premier League crown following a devastating 3-0 defeat against rivals Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. The loss leaves Arne Slot's side languishing in eighth position in the table, a significant eight points behind current leaders Arsenal.
Disallowed Goal Adds to Liverpool's Frustration
The match took a controversial turn when Liverpool thought they had equalised through a Virgil van Dijk header, only for the goal to be ruled out by the video assistant referee. Robertson, who was in an offside position, was adjudged to have interfered with play, a decision that left the Scottish international baffled.
"We think it's an OK goal," Robertson stated. "I can't really comment on it; I think we'll let other people do that. But for me, it looks as if I duck out the way – I don't think the keeper is in any eyeline to me. That's the rules we got told at the start of the season, so it was a little bit of a difficult one."
Despite his belief that the goal should have stood, Robertson admitted that Liverpool "would have probably been fortunate to be on level terms" based on their overall performance.
An Uphill Battle to Regain Form
This defeat marks Liverpool's fifth loss in their last six league outings, a dramatic slump in form that has severely dented their championship aspirations. Robertson urged his teammates to refocus and rediscover their best levels, particularly after showing promise in recent victories over Aston Villa and Real Madrid.
"We wanted to end a really strong week but it wasn't meant to be," he lamented. "We were making strides and then obviously getting a knock [at City]. We just need to get back to the levels that we know we can."
The defender suggested that it is too early for anyone to be seriously discussing the title race, but emphasised that consistent results are paramount. "Obviously, we've given ourselves a huge uphill battle, but I don't think any of the teams will really look at the league table until we're halfway through," Robertson explained. "We've got to pick up points on a more consistent basis. Then let's see where we are after Christmas time."
With the season still in its relatively early stages, Liverpool's immediate task is clear: improve performance levels and start accumulating points if they are to have any chance of closing the gap at the top of the Premier League.
