Andy Robertson insists Liverpool can handle the pressure as they prepare for Thursday's titanic top-of-the table clash with Manchester City at the Etihad.

The Reds head into 2019 with a seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League after a stunning run of nine straight league wins.

The Scotland left-back is confident that Jurgen Klopp's side will hold their nerve against the champions to keep their title challenge on track.

Liverpool will be boosted by the return of James Milner, who is set to be available to face his former club after recovering from a hamstring injury.

“There is always pressure playing for this club,” Robertson said.

(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

“But we are top of the league and we need to keep on going. To come through December unscathed with the fixtures we had is a good achievement. We'll go into 2019 full of momentum and it is about using that properly.

“We are just in a good moment. We have the confidence of winning every game we play and we take that attitude into every game.

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“Of course when teams slip up it is nice when we take advantage of that and we have managed to do that when City and Tottenham dropped points.

“But we know how long this season is and we know it is going to be very hard to go through it unbeaten. It is up to us to give 100% application in every game we play. If we do, we believe we can win every game we play in.”

Robertson knows that the stakes will be high at the Etihad. Extend their winning run and Liverpool will find themselves 10 points clear.

After shock back-to-back defeats over Christmas, City hit back with a 3-1 win over Southampton on Sunday.

“It's a massive game,” he added.

“If we win then we're 10 points clear of them and of course that's huge. But on the flip side they'll be looking at it that they can close the gap to four points.

“It's two good teams going at it and we look forward to it. But Tottenham will be looking forward to capitalise as well because both of us can't pick up full points.

“Look, this will go the whole way but we're in a good position just now. It's about continuing that and trying to build on every game that we play.”

Liverpool won at the Etihad in the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season when they picked City off on the counter.

Pep Guardiola's side will once again have to take risks with a draw of much greater use to the Reds.

“The difference is that they obviously had to win by four goals that night and they only need to win by one on Thursday,” Robertson said.

“They're a fantastic team, a very experienced team and they've been in this position before. They've won the title. It's something that we've never had.

“They'll be looking to go full throttle into us. We'll be wary of that but we need to be at our best. If we are, we can cause any team problems.

“City are very hard to beat. Of course we did it here in the league and the Champions League but in the league, not many people could touch them.

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“They completed it, they've got their winners' medal and the trophy. Just now, we have nothing.

“Of course we hope that we win it but we know how hard it is and we know two teams, probably even more, are right behind us and causing us all sorts of problems.

“We know they'll be right on our tails so we keep our feet on the ground and take it game by game.”

Robertson excelled once again as Liverpool signed off 2018 with an emphatic 5-1 rout of Arsenal as Roberto Firmino helped himself to a hat-trick.

"Arsenal were quite open and we took advantage of that," he said.

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"They also took advantage of us being sloppy and open for the first goal and that wasn't good enough.

"But we reacted well and we controlled the game after that. It was a really pleasing result and a good way to end the calendar year."