Dutch international Cody Gakpo has declared himself ready for this weekend’s Community Shield match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace, Softfootball reports.
The match which will be played at Wembley on Sunday afternoon is the annual curtain-raiser to begin the 2025/26 season.
Gakpo who won the Premier League for the first time as a Liverpool player was speaking to the club’s official media ahead of the game against the Eagles.
He said:
“Obviously we’re going to play the Community Shield. It’s going to be an important game for us to start the season well and that’s what we’re here for.
“We’re going to give it our best shot. Hopefully we come back with the Community Shield.”
The former PSV captain is a bit wary of their opponents, Crystal Palace as they beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
He stated:
“It’s obviously a very good side. I think they proved that last season as well against us but also against other teams. They didn’t win the FA Cup without quality, so that means they have a lot of quality and a lot of good players.
“They deserved to win that trophy. It’s going to be a tough game with some good players on their side and good players on our side. Hopefully [it ends] with us [getting] the win.”
Gakpo who scored in Liverpool’s last pre-season game win against Athletic Bilbao is also happy with how Liverpool’s new signings have adapted to life at Merseyside.
He revealed:
“I think we have a good group in general. That makes it maybe a little bit easier to adapt for new players to come in. I think a lot of the players knew each other maybe from playing against each other in the national team or things like this.
“For example, Jeremie [Frimpong] and Flo [Florian Wirtz] came from the same club. That’s also easy. Jeremie plays with the Dutch boys in the national team and others [have] those kinds of things too.
“I think they adapted well and quick – hopefully they feel at home as well. It’s good.”
The Community Shield is a game between the Premier League winners and FA Cup winners. It happens every day, just a week before the resumption of the competition.
