Andy Robertson spoke of the benefit of Liverpool's fringe and young players getting significant game time during Wednesday's defeat by PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League - something Darwin Nunez missed out on.

Arne Slot left the vast majority of his senior stars at home, with only Robertson and former PSV star Cody Gakpo keeping their places from the team that lined up against Ipswich over the weekend. The 23-year-old goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros was the oldest player on Liverpool's bench in the Netherlands and Robertson told TNT Sports: "We can take a lot of positives from tonight and it was a chance to give the young lads a chance.

"We got our noses in front at 2-1 and then were a bit naive, which usually doesn't happen. We tried to push when we fell behind but it just didn't happen. Results went our way elsewhere so we finish top and that's what we wanted at the start of the season.

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"They (Liverpool's young players) were really good. (James) McConnell was great in midfield and driving forward. Big (Jayden) Danns was great up top and held up the ball really well. We also had experienced players getting a chance, Federico (Chiesa) was really good and got the 90 minutes he needed."

Nunez was in line to feature at the Philips Stadion having travelled to Eindhoven with the squad on Tuesday, but he withdrew due to illness, allowing teenager Danns the opportunity to start in the Champions League for the first time. Nunez has completed just seven games in all competitions this season, as he struggles to nail down a spot in Slot's staring XI.

On the new Champions League format after Liverpool finished on top of the pile with 21 points from eight games, Robertson said: "Two extra games but tonight looked like carnage, the league table was all over the place, so I'm glad our place was settled.

"All the games on one night created excitement. We know whatever format it was, our aim is always to get to the last 16 and then we see if we can go further. I'm just glad we don't have a play-off and we're in the automatic eight. There will always be tough games so lets see who we face one they fight out in the play-offs."