ORIOL Romeu dismissed the rumours that linked him with a move away from Saints and insisted: “I’m here to fight.”

There were reports suggesting Celta Vigo were keen on bringing the midfielder back to Spain to help boost their chances of La Liga survival.

But Saints were adamant from the get-go that Romeu wasn’t going to be leaving in January and stuck to their guns.

Romeu said: “There were rumours but that was just talk.

“The club always told me that they want me here and I am more than happy to be here.

“I want to be competing for a spot in the team because I’m ready to go.

“We have some good moments to come until the end of the season because the team is doing very well.

“The team has a good dynamic and that’s something you want to be part of.

“You always want to be involved.”

Romeu’s appearance at Liverpool was his first Premier League start since the club’s defeat to Everton in November.

Manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has preferred to deploy James Ward-Prowse and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in central midfield, with the pair creating a strong axis.

But with Cedric leaving on loan and Kyle Walker-Peters not yet ready for action, Ward-Prowse played in the right-back position at Anfield.

This led to Romeu being handed a spot next to Hojbjerg and left him hungry for more first-team action.

“I enjoyed it and I’m happy to be back,” explained the former Chelsea midfielder.

“I’m pleased the manager gave me the chance because I’ve been working hard the last few weeks to get back out there. I’ve got my reward so I’m ready to go again.

“Physically I feel good, of course there are things you want to do better after a loss.

“But I’m happy to be back and am willing to help some more.”

Referee Kevin Friend came in for some criticism for waving play-on to both Andy Robertson’s back pass and Danny Ings’ penalty shout in the build-up to Liverpool’s opener.

And Romeu feels as though when you play in stadiums like Anfield, you need those decisions to fall on your side if you are going to get something from the game.

He added: “It’s one of those moments where we have half a penalty, they counter and then score.

“That changes everything. Especially in this stadium because you need decisions to fall on your side.

“When they don’t it makes things a lot harder.

“It’s always probably harder for referees when they are in one of those stadiums against these teams to give your side those half decisions.

“You know that, and it means you just have to work and try harder. It happens, it always happens.”