Liverpool notched up a third successive Premier League victory with a 3-1 home win against Crystal Palace at Anfield on Saturday.
Liverpool goalkeeper Freddie Woodman and Andrew Robertson
Liverpool goalkeeper Freddie Woodman and Andrew Robertson(Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
View Image
Liverpool great Steve Nicol has named his player of the match from the 3-1 victory against Crystal Palace at Anfield on Saturday - but it's not Freddie Woodman.
The 29-year-old third-choice keeper was handed his full Premier League debut by Arne Slot, deputising for the injured Alisson Becker and Giorgi Mamardashvili, and pulled off a succession of excellent saves.
Woodman even had the joy of hearing the Kop sing his name but Nicol felt that Liverpool's best player on the day was his compatriot Andy Robertson.
The Scotland captain was recalled to the first team for the Merseyside derby and kept his place in the side against Palace. It proved to be an inspired selection as Robertson grabbed the second goal of the game on a counter-attack five minutes before half-time, following a reflex save from Woodman.
FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE!All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook page
Working as a pundit for ESPN, Nicol, who won 10 trophies during his decorated 13-year Liverpool career, said: “Woodman made three great saves and Liverpool, their opportunities when they came along, they took them.
“The best of the lot was Andy Robertson. Woodman actually made a fantastic save, Liverpool broke from that save, Andy Robertson, streaking through the middle of the park to make it 2-0, great little ball from Curtis Jones, then first time, left foot, bottom corner across the goalkeeper, which made it 2-0 and really changed the game.”
Robertson will bring the curtain down on his hugely successful Reds career when he leaves the club at the end of the season.
The 32-year-old was signed by Jurgen Klopp from Hull City for £8million in 2017 and has gone on to win every major trophy in the game, including the Champions League and two Premier League titles.
“It’s always nice when you see somebody in his position, leaving the club and they’ve been so good for the club and the team, to get a goal at home,” Nicol added.
“It’s different when you score at home. When you’re away, you’ve got a little section of the crowd who are behind you and you enjoy it, but when you do it at home, it’s just different, it’s just a little bit more special.
“It would be nice if he could do it on the last day of the season, but he’ll take that with four games to go.”