James Milner insists Liverpool must be more dull if Reds are to challenge rivals

JAMES MILNER says Liverpool need to shut up shop and become "more boring" to guarantee their top four status.

The Reds were 2-0 up at Arsenal on Friday night only to essentially chuck two points away.

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Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah put the ahead only for the Gunners to a strike back through Alexis Sanchez, Granit Xhaka and Mesut Ozil in the second half.

Happily for Milner and Co. Roberto Firmino grabbed a 3-3 draw for the visitors.

Milner, who replaced Jordan Henderson after just 11 minutes, said: "I think when you're in a position like that, at this level, you've got to see game out and we've got to become boring.

"Obviously, we were very good going forward, but there are just times in the game when you've got to tighten up and not make mistakes for five minutes.

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Fingers were pointed at Simon Mignolet over Granit Xhaka's goal

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"All the goals were our fault really and that's something we have to learn from.

"We need to do it quick because it seems to be a theme for us this year.

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"We play such good football and sometimes we just need to switch that off for five-to-ten minutes in a game and learn about the game and sense the situations.

"When it is time to take it easy, play a bit tighter and keep the ball a bit longer - rather than trying to break every time.

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"Against good teams at this level, you get punished and it happened today."

Full back Andrew Robertson insisted Liverpool should not have conceded any of those three goals.

"There were mistakes but the tempo it was played at, the boys are still trying to get breath back," he said.

"You're most vulnerable when you score and that happened to us.

"They had an extra yard and we made mistakes. We got our composure back a little too late.

"First half we dominated. We have just had a lapse of concentration and it has cost us two points.

"All three goals were avoidable. We need to get these mistakes out of our game."

Fingers will be pointed at keeper Simon Mignolet for his weak attempt to stop Xhaka's long range shot.

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But boss Jurgen Klopp said: "He misjudged it.

"A second hand would have helped but that is how it is. You don't need to make it bigger than it is.

"It felt like we shouldn't have conceded but we did."