Gakpo: Team is "Happy" but Focused on the Next Match
Yesterday at 04:30 PM
The Dutch winger scored Liverpool's opener against Manchester City at the weekend
In Liverpool's demolition of title-holders Manchester City at the weekend, Cody Gakpo opened the scoring with a delayed back post run to tap in a brilliant ball from Mohamed Salah. The Dutchman, like the rest of the Liverpool side, will be very proud of their performances against City (to put it mildly).
Speaking after the match on his feelings on the result, though, Gakpo was quick to put the two big results of the week in context with other challenges the Reds have overcome:
"Yeah, I think [it has been] a big week. Big games, even the first one against Southampton after the internationals.
"It always is tricky after the internationals but we got the big win there and then Madrid and City, two very big games in the Champions League and the league and I felt everybody felt how important that was so yeah, very happy."
Liverpool had been firmly a second-half team, but Sunday's match saw them exert control over a struggling City most firmly in the opening period. This, too, is something Gakpo is pleased with, and his finish to open the scoring underlined the Reds' supremacy, which allowed for the performance overall:
"I think we started off very aggressive [and] very well. Maybe we could score more but in the end we did good, so yeah, very happy with the first half.
"I think second half they played a little better, they were also in some moments a little bit more dominant, but we defended well as well as a team and then at the end we got the penalty for the second one and then you know the game was over. But we did a good job.
"I think in every game against a good opponent like City there will be moments that you are a little bit back in your own half because they are very good on the ball as well. So, they had their moment, they had that period – I think maybe 20 minutes – that they played very calm, they tried to create a lot of chances around our box.
"But we dug in, we didn't concede [and] I think in those moments that's the most important [thing].
"Then I think a good pressing moment from Darwin [Nunez] and Lucho [Luis Diaz] can go in between the players and one-v-one with the goalie, the goalie tackled him and then a good penalty from Mo and a very important one."
As would be expected of a side able to string together such performances, Liverpool are not resting on their laurels, with the challenging period of matches continuing:
"They said already in the dressing room, 'Recovery starts now', so we have to switch our minds already.
"Obviously this one feels good but yeah, the next one is coming so we have to approach it like we do every game and we go for the win."
Liverpool next face Newcastle at St James' Park before traveling to Everton for an early kick-off derby at the weekend. The next one is coming indeed.
