On the competition for places and whether it brings out the best in him…
Especially me, I always like to compete and show the best version of myself. I think it’s always important and especially to have competition like Robbo. You have to always – if you’re playing good, if you have competition like that – you have to continue to do good. You know if you don’t have competition then maybe it’s possible playing top and you start to drop and then you need someone to pick you back up again. I think it’s really important. It’s Liverpool, so there’s a lot of games and you need only the best players here. That’s what we have.
On securing two clean sheets in the last four games…
We talk a lot about it and [it’s] just doing the basics good to make the clean sheets. We started with West Ham and it was really important for Ali [Alisson Becker] and for the goalkeepers it’s also important. We want to make it that we don’t concede so much and that we make the clean sheets and win games. I think it’s also important to have clean sheets, especially for us as defenders and goalkeepers.
On building his understanding with the rest of the defence and his teammates…
It’s coming. We do a lot of video analysis and we talk between each other with the coach and everything. With time everything comes good and in the last few weeks some results were not great and some were good. I think we’re coming good together and when you’re new – a few new players came – you need some time. I know how it was for me when I went to Bournemouth. You need time, but what is most important is that you’re willing to take on everything – competition and to learn and improve. I’m like that. I know with time everything will be good in the team.
On compatriot Dominik Szoboszlai’s form this season…
He was great last year and won the title and everything. I would say this year he’s taken it to another level. I never saw a player play so many positions somewhere. He can really do it. I’m really happy for him and he’s helping the team a lot, and also when the team didn’t play as well he was pushing us to catch up and help out and play well. He’s been really important – he runs a lot, defends, attacks and does everything. It’s good to have him here and hopefully he will continue because we need him for a whole season and hopefully also for many years here.
On Szoboszlai’s character and leadership in the dressing room…
It’s important. We have a great character in Virgil [van Dijk] as a captain and he helps a lot. Ali is there, Mo [Salah] is helping a lot, Robbo, all the guys that are much more experienced than us. They went through everything and it’s really helpful to have them here. Obviously when the results weren’t so great they came and spoke and really motivated us and that we have to do things different here because this is Liverpool. Especially him [Szoboszlai], he’s also a very good friend of mine and I’ve known him since I was 17 or 18, so I know how he is. He’s really important. He’s a great captain for us in the national team and a great character there and really important also there.
