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Cape Town - Centre-back Joel Matip put in another solid showing at the back as Liverpool saw off West Bromwich Albion at Anfield on Saturday by two goals to one.
Liverpool had looked to be in complete control of the game until a late goal from the Baggies put Anfield on edge.
Matip and the Liverpool defense can count themselves a little bit unlucky not to have earned a clean sheet after Gareth McAuley scored a fortuitous late goal.
Speaking after the win, the former Schalke man praised his teammates while expressing his desire for the team to shut the opposition out more often.
"My team-mates are helping me," Matip told the Liverpool Echo. "It went really well until the last 10 minutes. Then we had to protect our goal.
"In Germany there are not too many teams like that, but last year there were a couple of sides who played exactly like this - hitting balls really high. Darmstadt played in a similar way.
"It’s a different type of game then when you play against these teams, but you have to respect the way West Brom play. You have to treat everyone the same way.
"Of course for a defender you always prefer a clean sheet but the main thing is to win. I am not happy with the goal we conceded.
"Yes, we are defending well but we know these teams are very good at set-pieces. We will improve and next time hopefully they won’t get the ball.
"We have to work on it in training and make it work better. We know they are all very good at set-pieces and dangerous in the box. The season is very long and it was just about the three points."
