Liverpool has won just one point from a possible nine since being confirmed as Premier League champion by beating Spurs. But the results are irrelevant now, and the countdown to Monday’s title parade and then a big summer is on.
For the likes of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, who have experienced carrying a big trophy around the city before when they won the Champions League, there is excitement at the prospect of now getting to do it for the Premier League.
And winger Cody Gakpo, who has scored 18 times this season and impressed down the left flank under Arne Slot, is one of those who is yet to see the kind of scenes that will unfold next Monday having only arrived at the club from PSV in January 2023.
“I’m looking forward to the parade, yeah. The players who have done it have explained how it was before,” Gakpo told reporters on the south coast. “They said it was crazy. We are very curious about what is going to happen.”
Before that, Liverpool will host Crystal Palace at Anfield on Sunday. And then at the final whistle, Reds captain Van Dijk will lift the trophy on the pitch — a moment that he has been keenly waiting for.
“Yeah, obviously disappointed to not win [against Brighton],” Gakpo said. “We had some good opportunities to win it, some good chances when we were 2-1 in front, but they did not go our way today.
(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
“[Against Brighton] we were very motivated and obviously the last game of the season at home, we want to win and end on a high with a good feeling, lifting that trophy, that is what we will hopefully do.”
After the final whistle at the Amex Stadium, Gakpo took the chance to catch up with Dutch players including Mats Wieffer, Jan Paul van Hecke and Bart Verbruggen. At one point, they were joined by Yankuba Minteh, formerly at Feyenoord under Slot.
“Brighton has three Dutch players and one more on the bench,” Gakpo said. “We all know each other very well, so that is nice to catch up here.
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“Very, very proud [to see Dutch players doing well in the Premier League]. We have a lot of Dutch players now in the Premier League. Everybody is doing good so hopefully we can continue.”
Could there soon be a fourth with Jeremie Frimpong? Gakpo, of course, was giving little away.
“Maybe, I don’t know yet, maybe you know more than me!” he added. “Another Dutch one, well English as well you know?
“He is a very good guy, I know him very well from the national team, a good player as well. So let’s see if he comes or not.”
