Karsdorp pleased to make crucial contribution

Looking to rebound from that heavy loss against Atalanta, the Giallorossi overcame a second-half wobble to leave the Stadio Olimpico with all three points, as Jordan Veretout, Edin Dzeko and Gianluca Mancini got on the scoresheet.

“First of all it’s a good reaction from the team,” Karsdorp told Roma TV afterwards.

“Everybody knows the second half in Bergamo was not good… then it is important to show our reaction, for everybody – for ourselves, for Roma, for the fans. I think we did it well.

“Of course the important thing is to win, it doesn’t matter how. Of course some things can be better but it was okay today. We fought for each other and we got the win.”

Karsdorp lit up the game with two important assists – the second of which, after a lung-busting run, allowed Edin Dzeko to score the goal that put the Giallorossi back ahead.

“That’s what I can do!” Karsdorp said. “Of course it was a great ball from [Roger] Ibanez – you know if that ball is not good then I cannot do that sort of thing, so first of all that was important.

“And then you know, I can feel it with the sprint that I’ve got the ball with me nicely, and then I was lucky that Edin was in front of the goal and finished it. An important goal.”

Happy with the three points, the Dutchman believes the side will build on the result in the new year.

“Today was not very good, in the second half especially,” he said. “We gave some chances away, we have to do better at that – but of course it is not easy to react like this after a game like Atalanta.

“The most important thing is that we won today – now we go on to the next game.”