Cody Gakpo: 'Liverpool's last-minute defeat is really hard to swallow'

Liverpool continue to sink deeper into crisis after conceding a stoppage-time goal to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Cody Gakpo, who scored the only goal for The Reds, spoke after the match and admitted that this loss was “hard to accept,” especially since he believed Liverpool performed better than Chelsea.

The highlight match of the round saw Chelsea start energetically and take the lead early in the 14th minute. Caicedo unleashed a beautiful long-range shot that left the Liverpool goalkeeper helpless. After the first half, Liverpool rallied strongly and equalized in the 63rd minute. From Isak’s pass, Gakpo finished precisely, reigniting hope for Arne Slot’s squad.

However, just when everyone expected a draw, a terrible scenario unfolded for the visitors. Substitute Estevao Willian scored in the 90+5th minute, securing an emotional 2-1 victory for Chelsea and handing Liverpool their third consecutive loss without points.

The defeat at Stamford Bridge extended Liverpool’s losing streak to three matches across all competitions. Previously, they collapsed against Crystal Palace in the Premier League and lost to Galatasaray in the Champions League. From being undefeated in the first five games, Liverpool has now dropped the top spot to Arsenal.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Cody Gakpo expressed disappointment but maintained that Liverpool deserved a point: “It’s really hard to accept. We faced a very strong team. They scored a beautiful goal in the first half, and overall the game was balanced. In the second half, we fought hard to equalize and I think we played better than them, even though Chelsea was very dangerous on the counterattack. Conceding a goal in the final moments like that is tough to digest.”

The Dutch forward also mentioned the team’s dip in form: “I don’t want to say the whole team has lost confidence, but things are not as smooth as in the first five games. That’s football; we have to accept it, get up, and keep fighting.”

Gakpo emphasized that Liverpool players understand the mentality of a big club: “When you play for a club this big, losing three games in a row is unacceptable. We fully understand that. The players know what needs to be done, which is to return to winning ways.”

After the international break, Liverpool will return with a major clash against Manchester United at Anfield on October 19. This is seen as a golden opportunity for Arne Slot’s team to end their poor run, as The Reds have dominated recent head-to-head records against their long-time rivals.

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