Kostas Tsimikas was speaking about his relationship with Andy Robertson and new Liverpool head coach Arne Slot
Kostas Tsimikas says the entire Liverpool squad are relishing the new approach to defending as the left-back outlined his healthy rivalry with Andy Robertson after a seventh clean sheet of the season in Wednesday’s 1-0 win over RB Leipzig
The Reds beat the Bundesliga side in the Champions League thanks to Darwin Nunez’s first-half goal to move up to second behind Aston Villa in the new-look competition format and Arne Slot’s team have now won all three of their European fixtures this term having already seen off AC Milan and Bologna.
Liverpool have now also won 11 of their 12 fixtures under Slot and have the best defensive record in the Premier League with just three goals shipped from the opening eight games. They have the opportunity to move seven clear of title rivals Arsenal when they visit the Emirates on Sunday afternoon.
Tsimikas has played in eight of those games so far, starting four and the former Olympiakos man says all the players are working for each other to help continue such a miserly run at the back
Of course we’re delighted,” Tsimikas said. “Everyone defends, everyone attacks, and everyone wants to do even more, we’re hungry for more. Even for every game now it is very tough for us but the team has to show and stick with the plan to be 100% focused every time and to give our best
“What’s changed? I think we all defend together. One of the goals of the new manager is he asks us to defend all together as a unit, as a team. So I think that is the important thing. We don’t want to concede. Every game we all defend together and that is what we want to see.
Personally, I enjoy it very much. They work on every kind of detail and they want you to improve and it is always there for you, even the manager and technical staff, to help you do the right stuff for the team.
The things the manager wants from me, I am very happy to work with him. We have done some fantastic work at the AXA and hopefully we can continue like that.”
On his battle with Robertson on the left side of defence, Tsimikas, who signed for the Reds in the summer of 2020, adds: “We have a very good relationship.
We are together almost every day and we laugh together but we play in the same position and both of us want to play. So it is healthy competition as it has to be at this club.
I think when he plays, he gives everything and when he plays I want all the best for him. And when I play he wants all the best for me, that is healthy competition. But we are very, very close but both of us want to play. So whenever we have the chance, both of us, we try to do it.”
