After scoring the goals to seal Liverpool’s 2-1 comeback over Fulham, Cody Gakpo and Curtis Jones‘ off-field chemistry was on show in a post-match interview.
They may not have seemed the most likely pair upon Gakpo’s arrival from PSV Eindhoven, but the Dutchman has struck up a firm friendship with Jones at Liverpool.
Affectionately nicknamed Gakkers by the No. 17, he has grown close to a player brought up in the academy at Kirkby, and now they are linking up excellently on the pitch.
After Willian’s first-half strike, Jones levelled the scores after the break on Wednesday night, before Gakpo sealed a 2-1 win in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final.
Summoned for a post-match interview with Sky Sports, the comedy partnership was on show as Gakpo joked that Jones “only scores on that side on purpose!”
This interview with Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo is brilliant! ?? pic.twitter.com/qCWClVo6we
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 10, 2024
“I’m a Scouser myself, came all the way through, so it means more,” having geed up the fans after scoring in front of the Kop.
For Gakpo, it was a fourth goal in four appearances in the Carabao Cup, having scored against Leicester, Bournemouth, West Ham and Fulham.
“I love it! I think I’ve scored four, that’s good no? That’s pretty good,” he smiled.
“I love just to play with the guys, we showed really good mentality.
“We have to keep going, because it’s only the first leg of this game.”
It was another game that saw Jurgen Klopp turn the tide from the bench, with Gakpo and Darwin Nunez hugely influential after replacing Ryan Gravenberch and Harvey Elliott.
“It’s the mentality in the group, in the club,” Gakpo explained.
“I think everybody is like this in the city, mentality [of] just keep going, it doesn’t matter what happens.
“I think we showed it again today. If you’ve got that mentality, a lot of beautiful things can happen.”
Jones knows that better than most, and having controlled the midfield battle and completed 98 percent of his passes, the 22-year-old was named Man of the Match.
Asked if his team-mate had enough room on the mantlepiece for another post-match prize, Gakpo joked: “Probably not, so he has to give it to me!”
“Again, he played a really good game,” he continued.
“I said what I said before, it still stands: I’m really proud of him and he deserves it.”
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