Andrew Robertson praises Liverpool's resolve and ability to turn draws into last-gasp wins

Ahead of Champions league match against Napoli on Wednesday, Scottish left-back takes aim at critics who claim record-equalling Reds are playing below their best

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah during training ahead of their Champions League match against Napoli. Reuters

Liverpool players during training. Reuters

Liverpool's Andrew Robertson. Reuters

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah. Reuters

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah. Reuters

Liverpool players during training. Reuters

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah. Reuters

Liverpool's Xherdan Shaqiri. Reuters

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, left. AFP

Liverpool midfielder Fabinho. AFP

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, centre, AFP

Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk, left, and Joe Gomez. AFP

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah. PA

Liverpool's Jordan Henderson, left. Reuters

Liverpool's Roberto Firmino. AFP

Liverpool's Sadio Mane, left, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. AFP

Liverpool's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Reuters

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah. Reuters

Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum. AFP

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson. Reuters

Andrew Robertson has rejected accusations that Liverpool have been below their best on their record-equalling start to the season by underlining the different ways they have found of winning.

The Champions League holders have only dropped two points so far, but they have needed an equaliser in and five winners in the final quarter of their last seven matches.

But the left-back believes Liverpool deserve praise for their resolve and capacity to turn draws into victories as he disagreed with their critics.

"I am not really buying into it because we have found ways to win and have been going right the way to the end," Robertson said. "We have had special performances in different ways. Against Manchester City and Tottenham, we played unbelievably but against Aston Villa and Crystal Palace we had to dig deep.

"We are a team who are trying to strive for perfection. People are saying we haven’t hit our heights but we have 37 points in the Premier League, you can’t do much better than that.”

The Scotland captain is part of a defence that has only kept three clean sheets this season and he believes that stopping opponents scoring would be a way of making life less nervous for Liverpool’s supporters.

“I think the fans would love a game where they can just sit down for the last 10 minutes and just enjoy it rather than biting their nails,” he said.

“It is important we get back to clean sheets. We can’t quite put our finger on it. Some of the goals we have conceded have been high quality and some have been poor from us.”

Liverpool could be in a run of 14 games in 44 days but Robertson said: “If you ask me would I swap my Champions League winners' medal for less fixtures, then absolutely not.”

Robertson and Mohamed Salah have been suffering from ankle injuries and Klopp will make a late decision whether to select the Egyptian against Napoli on Wednesday after leaving him on the bench at Selhurst Park at the weekend.

“Mo looked really good in training,” said the German, though there is less good news about Joel Matip, who will have a scan on his injured knee this week and who is nowhere near a comeback.

Both Robertson and Salah could be given a rest in two weeks’ time as beating Napoli would guarantee Liverpool top Group E, but the defender said: “I don’t think anyone is thinking: ‘Win and I don’t have to go to Salzburg.’

"Since I have been here it has always gone down to the last game so it would be nice to qualify with a game to go. But maybe they want to get a slight bit of revenge because we stopped them from [qualifying] last season.”

Napoli have beaten Liverpool twice at the San Paolo Stadium in the last 15 months and were only defeated 1-0 at Anfield 11 months ago and Klopp said: “They won last year in Napoli when we were really bad and this year when we were not bad and they gave a real fight last year in Anfield.”

However, Napoli are mired in crisis with owner Aurelio de Laurentiis attempting to fine his players 25 per cent of their salary for refusing to attend a training camp he suddenly arranged after the draw against Salzburg.

They have gone six games without a win and have slipped to seventh in Serie A but Klopp said: “I expect them to be really strong for different reasons. Reason No 1 is they are a sensationally good team. They did not have the results in the last couple of weeks, but now they are not in Italy. They are in Liverpool, it is a different competition. They may feel a relief they can play completely free.”

He rejected the chance to tell the triple Champions League winner Carlo Ancelotti how to cope with an unhappy owner and an upset group of players.

“If there is any manager in the world who does not need advice from me it is Carlo Ancelotti,” he said. “Carlo is the most experienced manager in world football and is used to dealing with difficult situations so he will make the best of it, 100 per cent.”