ReactionDivock Origi: Scoring in the derby is an unbelievable feeling
Divock Origi revelled in the ‘unbelievable’ feeling of scoring yet another Merseyside derby goal.
Liverpool’s No.27 clinched Sunday’s 2-0 victory over Everton with a predatory Kop-end header late on – his sixth strike in 10 appearances versus the Blues.
Highlights: Liverpool 2-0 Everton
“It’s unbelievable. Honestly, I don’t take it for granted,” Origi told Liverpoolfc.com post-match.
“It is such a pleasure to be able to play football at the highest level, to win these games – for the club it means so much, for me it means so much.
“After the game you can look back [and] be happy, but especially now. Take it, put it in the baggage and take it for the next game, and hopefully keep the momentum going.”
Origi’s latest derby-day moment was a product of his striker’s intuition, as he reacted quickest to the direction of Luis Diaz’s bicycle kick and nodded in at the back post.
“Once the ball is in the air the first instinct as a striker is to try to go to the second post because you know that the central defender is looking at the ball and you never know, if the ball is deflected or it comes off the ’keeper,” he explained.
“So for me it was purely instinct and in the end a successful goal.”
Diaz and Origi were introduced together from the bench after an hour and both had an immediate impact, with Origi also playing a key role in Andy Robertson’s opener.
On what Jürgen Klopp told him and Diaz prior to them coming on, Origi stated: “I think it was clear. For us, we worked hard in training so I knew I was going to have to come on and help the team as much as possible.
“It was a close game so we needed that first goal to get the momentum going and once we got that then it was about being able to control the game as much as possible.
“We played against a team that played with a big heart, they wanted to come here and take the three points, so for us it feels like a job well done and we’re looking forward to the next games.
“For me as a player, it’s [about] staying ready; try to do extra work to level up what you maybe missed in game time and then coming in and making plays.
“You cannot know what happens before the game, you can just get as well prepared as possible and once you know that you are well prepared you can come in and enjoy the game. That’s what happened today and obviously the goals help the team, that is the most important thing.”
Sunday’s win was the latest in a hugely successful spell for Liverpool, who have beaten Manchester City, Manchester United and Everton in the space of eight days.
Next up is Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Villarreal, with the Reds remaining in the hunt to win an unprecedented quadruple.
Origi concluded: “Honestly, we enjoy every football game. Again, we worked so hard to come here [and] now it is about enjoying, prepping as much as possible, enjoying the game.
“There are so many interesting games and it gives you an even better feeling. Nothing comes easy so far for us. We wanted to accept this challenge and go past it - and today we did that well.”