PreviewHow Cody Gakpo and Liverpool will approach a 'special' Merseyside derby
Cody Gakpo has explained how Liverpool will seek to navigate an emotionally charged Goodison Park atmosphere and beat Everton in the Merseyside derby.
The Reds make the short trip across Stanley Park for the final time tonight (7.30pm GMT kick-off), with the Blues set to move into a new stadium before the start of next season.
Arne Slot’s side know that victory in what is their game in hand over second-placed Arsenal would lift them nine points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Ahead of the derby, we sat down with Gakpo – winner of the Standard Chartered Men’s Player of the Month award for January – at the AXA Training Centre.
Read our preview interview in full below.
Cody, is this the biggest game of the season?
Yeah, I think one of the biggest. A very important one for us. So yeah, everybody is looking forward to it.
How do you carry the pressure of games like this?
I think for every player it is different. I like to just focus on the game. Obviously we train things we want to see back in the game and try to focus on those things and the pressure that comes with it, you just embrace it and hopefully make it a good game.
It’s the final derby at Goodison so do you have to win the fight first to earn the right to play your football?
Yeah, I think for them maybe it’s an even more special game against us. It’s the last game there so it’s going to be maybe an emotional game for both sides but at the end we have to stay as focused as possible and put as much intensity in it as we can to go out there and win the game. Hopefully that is the outcome for us.
How do you assess Everton? They appear revitalised and could be a different proposition to what they may have been before David Moyes’ arrival?
Yeah, I think they are doing pretty well at the moment. Like you said, a new manager and revitalised. But I think this is a special game anyway, it’s a derby, so we just have to go out there and fight for the win. It will not come easy so that’s what we plan to do and hopefully we will get it.
The stakes are huge because a win would take you nine points clear at the top of the table…
Yeah, it’s a big opportunity for us but I think we have to focus on the performance and what we put in the game and then we will see what the outcome will be. But if we put in a good performance with the ball [and] without the ball, high intensity, that’s actually all we can do and then we have enough quality to hopefully bring the three points home. But I think it starts with the mindset and the performance.
You’ve got fond memories of playing against Everton. Your first goal for Liverpool came in a 2-0 derby win at Anfield in February 2023…
Yeah! My first goal for the club was against Everton so hopefully I can add a few more. I think it [the goal] was kind of a transition moment, I think Mo [Salah] passed the ball to Trent [Alexander-Arnold] and he gave a low cross and I was at the back post for the tap-in. So, it was a good one for me, first one and I think it was the 2-0 [goal] in the game as well so an important one for the team.
You’re in fantastic form at the moment. Does this feel like the best moment you have been in in your career so far?
I feel very good at the moment. Obviously I had some very good years at PSV [Eindhoven] as well but yeah I feel very good, very strong [and] also a bit more experienced than back then. So, I feel good and hopefully I can continue and we can continue and end the season very well.
Ryan Gravenberch could make his 50th Premier League appearance in this match. Tell us a bit about your relationship with him…
Fifty already?! That’s going fast! Obviously Ryan and myself, we knew each other a little bit from the national team and U23s in the national team and I tried to help him wherever I can. I still do. Hopefully I helped him a lot, I don’t know what he thinks about it but probably he will [agree]! But we have a good connection, a good relationship together and I am very pleased that he is with us. He is doing amazing so that’s a bonus point.
Are you surprised by how well he has adapted to playing the No.6 role this season?
No, I think I said it a few times already. I think the Dutch people already knew him from his time at Ajax and knew how good he can be. Obviously he evolved and he is much better than he was back then, but we already saw the quality he has and I am very happy for him that he can show it now in every game again. Like I said, he is doing amazing so I am very proud of him.