Preview'Everybody wants to play these games' - Cody Gakpo relishing Liverpool's tough schedule

Having beaten Chelsea 2-1 last weekend, the Reds quickly turned their focus towards Champions League matters for this evening's league-phase tie at RB Leipzig.

Then it's back to Premier League action after that for a visit to last season's runners-up Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

"I think everybody as a player wants to play those games," Gakpo told Liverpoolfc.com. "When you are at a big club, as Liverpool [is], you have the opportunity to get these games in the Champions League and in the league. We are all looking forward to it.

"I enjoy it. I think it's the best feeling to just play games – maybe not so much training but more games.

"I think every player likes to get as much minutes as possible and to play at the highest level, to show yourself again and again. That's what we all try to do every game."

Liverpool began their 2024-25 European journey with victories over Italian outfits AC Milan and Bologna.

Leipzig are the third of eight opponents Arne Slot's side will meet in the revamped league phase.

• Opposition lowdown: RB Leipzig

"It's a little bit different," Gakpo said of the competition's changes. "I think everybody still has to get used to it because I think everybody was used to the group phase and playing each other twice.

"Now it's different but it's nice. You have a lot of difficult matches, 'bigger' games all over the Champions League now. But at the end it's all about the result and we go there as well for the win, to play a good game. Hopefully we can get the win."

Tonight's opposition – managed by Marco Rose – currently sit second in the German Bundesliga, level on points with leaders Bayern Munich.

Gakpo knows the Reds need to reproduce the level of dominance that resulted in a 3-1 win at San Siro last month in their first Champions League away fixture.

The Netherlands international finished: "I think it was a good game in Milan. Hopefully we can play a similar game as that – not concede that quick!

"Overall it was a good game, so hopefully we can play again that good. We just have to show our strengths again and then hopefully we can get the win.

"From what I know, they [Leipzig] have a good team – Xavi Simons plays there, Lutsharel Geertruida as well, [Lois] Openda in the striker position played in Holland as well before.

"They have a good team, young players, good players. Hopefully it's a good game, a fun game to watch, a fun game to play and hopefully at the end we will win."