Jordan Henderson has spoken highly of his new Liverpool teammate Cody Gakpo despite his new club’s poor form since joining the Premier League club, he told Viaplay.
The Liverpool captain, 32, spoke after his side’s humbling against Brighton & Hove Albion – who have not beaten the Reds at home since 1961 before their historic 3-0 win on Saturday – and singled out new signing Gakpo in getting stuck in despite the mammoth task they find themselves in.
“He’s doing really well. Honestly, I feel sorry for him that he’s coming into a team that has so little self-confidence. That must be very difficult for him,” he said.
“Cody has adapted well and he’s done really well in the games he’s played.
“That’s really the only positive thing we can take from this game. Hopefully he can give us the energy we miss and so need. He was the only bright spot.”
Jurgen Klopp’s side have now suffered back-to-back league defeats in the New Year and find themselves 19 points behind Arsenal which is unthinkable considering they were tipped to be title challengers and were Champions League finalists last season.
Reviewing their latest defeat which puts them on the same points as 10th-place Chelsea, Henderson know his side must improve immediately if they are to have any chance of closing the 10-point gap they have on the Champions League places.
He said: “A very disappointing and tough day for us. We were weak from the very first moment to the very end.
“Brighton were better in every aspect of the game. A real low point. We have to improve immediately if we want anything else this season.”