Cody Gakpo has urged Liverpool to move on quickly from their 6-1 trouncing of Leeds United on Monday night and focus on salvaging their disappointing season. Gakpo, who scored one of the goals in the match, told Liverpool’s official website: “Everybody knows we struggled a little bit this season in the away games and then if you play a game like this, this is the way it should feel every game. But it’s a good step in the right direction. We won this game, it was a good game, but now we have to look forward and we have to win the next game.” Liverpool still remain nine points adrift of the top four, but with a game in hand, they have closed the gap on the top six to three. Manager Jurgen Klopp was delighted with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s performance in a roving midfield role, while Diogo Jota scored his first league goals in over a year and Colombia forward Luis Diaz made his first appearance since October off the bench after a knee injury.
Leeds United, however, are in freefall after shipping 11 goals in back-to-back home games and conceding 60 league goals this season – more than any of their top-flight rivals. Head coach Javi Gracia said: “I don’t have – in this moment – an explanation for that. But what they can say is the players always thrive, the players always work hard during the week, try to prepare for the next game. We need to improve that because we have seven important games left. We have to give our best face.”