LIVERPOOL’S JANUARY SIGNING Cody Gakpo admits he still has to prove himself in the Champions League.
The 23-year-old may have played in a World Cup quarter-final against eventual champions Argentina but his experience in Europe’s elite club competition extends to just seven minutes in one substitute appearance in a group-stage draw against Tottenham in October 2018.
Gakpo had struggled with his form since arriving from PSV Eindhoven for an initial €42 million (£37m) last month – not helped by Liverpool’s struggles on the pitch as a team – but the Netherlands international has now scored in back-to-back matches against Everton and Newcastle.
And his first Champions League start could be in the last-16, first-leg tie at home to Real Madrid. “It’s going to be my second game in the Champions League so I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.
“I have to prove that I can perform at such a level again and I’m eager to do that.
“It’s a dream for every football player to play in this competition and for me, to have that opportunity, it’s a great one.
“Of course it’s a great feeling to score the first goal knowing it was a really important game for us and it was a Merseyside derby – that was a good way to open the scoring account.
“And then to follow it up with the goal against Newcastle. I think that game was really important for us to show that we had a difficult period but that we are climbing back from that and that we are eager to perform and to keep doing better.
“I think we are really confident now and will keep working hard and trying to improve and keep winning games.”
Gakpo’s integration into the team was also not helped by being switched between two positions but he appears to be more comfortable through the middle.
“Obviously I played, I think, the last three years on the left side but at the World Cup and under Louis Van Gaal I played in the centre so I already tried to adapt to that when I came here,” he added.
“I spoke to the coach (Jurgen Klopp) and he said it’s possible to play on the left or in the centre.”
I’ve no problem with the 23 players selected. I do have an issue with some of the logic applied by O’Neill. Keane and Arter are both injured. Keane is given tne benefit of the doubt, even with the proviso that he might not be available for the Sweden match and can’t play for 90 minutes. Arter is sent back to his club despite tne possibility of being fit in ten days and available for every match. Westwood is picked, rightly, but not played at all during the recent games. Doyle, fit, is told to stay at home and not bother travelling over for the Belarus match, even when it was known there is a question mark over Keane.
Delighted Paul McShane didn’t get a last minute invite. Looking forward to the games. COYBIG