PreviewCody Gakpo: We have to go for it and show we are the defending champions

Last season's top two teams in the division face each other in a much-anticipated showdown in L4 on Sunday afternoon.

Both sides have perfect records and maximum points following the opening two rounds of fixtures in 2025-26, and Gakpo knows the extremely tough challenge that stands in the Reds' way of three wins from three.

The Dutchman spoke to Liverpoolfc.com at the AXA Training Centre to preview the contest – read on for the interview…

Cody, it's a massive game on Sunday against Arsenal at Anfield. How much are you looking forward to it?

A lot. I think it's always a big game against Arsenal and I think everybody is looking forward to the game. It's always good to play them and hopefully we will get the win.

It's the teams that finished first and second in the Premier League last season and even though it's so early in this season, it could be a very important game come the end…

Yeah, obviously last season we were one and two, so I think it's for both sides that we want to prove a point. They want to prove a point, we want to prove a point. We have to go for it and especially at home we have to show them that we are still the defending champions and that is what we will try to do.

Both teams go into it having won their first two games. From our point of view, the wins over Bournemouth and Newcastle have been a bit more dramatic than maybe we would have liked, but the way in which you got the points in both shows that the spirit and mentality that helped you win the title last season is still there, despite the changes in the squad…

Yeah, obviously I think when you play for Liverpool you have to win games and obviously when the season starts that's what you want to do. Even though the first two games were a little bit dramatic, we still got the win and I think at the end that's the most important [thing]. Obviously now with this game coming up, we can really show what we want this season and we have to go for the win again, play a good game hopefully and don't let it be as dramatic as before!

It's two wins from two but it feels like there is still quite a lot to work on and improve – is that something you agree with?

Yeah, I think there is always stuff to improve on. I think now as a team, I think everybody spoke also about the fact that we conceded in both games two goals and I think last year we started the season with some clean sheets. So I think that's what we would all like to go back to, but again, this is football and we play against very good teams as well and these things can happen. But we try to improve that, we try to improve up front as well to score more goals, so we are working every day and hopefully all the work we put in will come out in the game.

Just finally, it's back to Anfield after experiencing a pretty hostile atmosphere at St. James' Park – are you glad to be back at home and what difference can the Liverpool supporters make in a game like this?

I think everybody knows how much difference our fans can make, I think they showed it through the years many times. Sometimes it feels like we have one more player on the pitch when they are on fire, so I think every player appreciates them very much. Hopefully they are going to be on fire like always again and we give them back the victory.