Illan Meslier disputes Leeds United claim and explains difficulty in celebrating Anfield winner

There was, though, laughed Meslier, complications when it came to initially celebrating Crysencio Summerville's winner given football’s past episodes with VAR. Meslier and Leeds arrived at Saturday night's Premier League hosts Liverpool having failed to record a win from their last eight games - six of which had ended in defeat.

A haul of just two points from a last possible 24 had Leeds sat second-bottom approaching a trip to last season's runners-up Liverpool but Meslier said any suggestions that Leeds had "nothing to lose" at Anfield were not true. Instead, said the keeper known as the Iceman, Jesse Marsch's side arrived with a belief and plan that they could take all three points and did just that as Meslier played a starring role.

"When you play against Liverpool it's a massive club," said Meslier, asked about the recent pressure on the team and Marsch and whether Leeds had a genuine belief they could do something at Anfield. "Everyone said like we have nothing to lose but sometimes it's false. We came with a plan and we wanted to play like this because it's very hard to play against this team. The counter attacks have been wonderful so it's great for us."

Leeds went ahead after just four minutes at Anfield as a slip from Reds keeper Alisson attempting to deal with a wayward back-pass from Joe Gomez left Rodrigo with a tap in. Meslier was then beaten just ten minutes later as Mo Salah prodded the ball home following United's failure to deal with two crosses but United's 22-year-old French 'keeper went on to produce some outstanding saves, particularly in the second half. In the end, those stellar stops provided the platform for Leeds to finally bag a first win in nine games via Crysencio Summerville's 89th-minute winner.

"You feel a fantastic sensation to help the team," said Meslier, reflecting on his series of outstanding stops. "At the end when you score you say 'oh yes, I helped the team all of the second half.’ The goal came in the final stages of the game so it's perfect for us."Asked how he felt when he saw Summerville's strike hit the back of the net, Meslier laughed: "Like woah. Just like we never know sometimes with the VAR so just now I stay focused on the game because we never know what can happen. I just try to enjoy it with him now because we have a great three points."