Gakpo Backs Liverpool Forwards to Fill in For Absent Salah

Africa Cup of Nations absence - Liverpool's Mohamed Salah - AFP
Africa Cup of Nations absence - Liverpool's Mohamed Salah - AFP
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Gakpo Backs Liverpool Forwards to Fill in For Absent Salah

Africa Cup of Nations absence - Liverpool's Mohamed Salah - AFP
Africa Cup of Nations absence - Liverpool's Mohamed Salah - AFP

Liverpool's Cody Gakpo believes his side have the forward firepower to cope without Mohamed Salah when the Egypt star departs for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

Darwin Nunez ended a run of 12 games without a goal, while Diogo Jota came off the bench to score after a month out injured in a 2-0 win over Burnley on Tuesday which took Liverpool to the top of the Premier League table.

Salah has one more Liverpool game -- at home to Newcastle on Sunday -- before he departs for the African Nations Cup and the 16-goal winger is set to be away from Anfield on international duty for up to a month.

That makes Nunez and Jota's goals against Burnley all the more timely, with Gakpo having scored seven himself so far this season.

"For every attacking player who didn't score for a few games, it's always nice to get back on the scoresheet and Darwin did it with a very good goal," AFP quoted Gakpo.

"For Diogo as well. When you are injured and you come back and score that's always nice and good for the confidence. So really happy.

"Mo is gone after the Newcastle game so we need the goals. Of course, I think I can contribute even more."

Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk added: "It's always important for the guys up front to score goals. I am delighted for Darwin. Diogo, it's the same story. It's good to see the boys back on the scoresheet.

"I also want to say that Cody was outstanding, in the first half especially. It's good to see. Everyone has to keep pushing each other. That's the only way we can get better," the Netherlands defender explained.

"Others have to step up anyway. We have to deal with losing Mo and we have the players up front who can make the difference. Let's see how we deal with it."

Liverpool are now two points ahead of Arsenal, although the Gunners will return to the summit with victory at home to London rivals West Ham on Thursday.

"The table is not looking in a bad place but we have to take it one game at a time, don't let our heads go everywhere all over the place, just stay focused and keep doing what we are doing now and even improve more," said Gakpo.

The 24-year-old Dutch attacker has never before experienced English football's packed Christmas and New Year schedule, with Gakpo enjoying himself as matches come thick and fast.

"It's the first time I played with this intensity -- a lot of games in a few days - and it's nice as if you play a good game you can play again and if you play a not-so-good game, you can make it good in the next game as it's coming nice and quick," he said.

"Everybody wants the three points -- also the opponents -- so you have to work really hard every game and you have to be able to win games different ways."



‘I’m Not Flirting with Any Team’: Marseille Coach De Zerbi Denies Exit Talks amid Tensions

 Marseille's Italian head coach Roberto De Zerbi reacts during the French L1 football match between Stade de Reims and Olympique de Marseille (OM) at Stade Auguste-Delaune in Reims, northern France on March 29, 2025. (AFP)
Marseille's Italian head coach Roberto De Zerbi reacts during the French L1 football match between Stade de Reims and Olympique de Marseille (OM) at Stade Auguste-Delaune in Reims, northern France on March 29, 2025. (AFP)
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‘I’m Not Flirting with Any Team’: Marseille Coach De Zerbi Denies Exit Talks amid Tensions

 Marseille's Italian head coach Roberto De Zerbi reacts during the French L1 football match between Stade de Reims and Olympique de Marseille (OM) at Stade Auguste-Delaune in Reims, northern France on March 29, 2025. (AFP)
Marseille's Italian head coach Roberto De Zerbi reacts during the French L1 football match between Stade de Reims and Olympique de Marseille (OM) at Stade Auguste-Delaune in Reims, northern France on March 29, 2025. (AFP)

Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi says he wants to stay on at the French league club and insisted Friday that he has not been contacted by other clubs despite reports of a player mutiny and interest from AC Milan.

Speaking during a conference Friday, De Zerbi said he is "not flirting with any team."

"At the moment I have no desire to leave," De Zerbi said. "My intention is to stay here for many years. Since it takes two to make a marriage, we still need to see a lot of things, and how we finish in the league".

Marseille has developed an attractive and effective style of play under De Zerbi but has been going through a bad patch of results, losing four of its past five matches. The team, however, remains in third place in the French league standings, in a position to qualify for next season's Champions League ahead of Sunday's match against Toulouse.

According to L'Equipe, De Zerbi has been facing criticism from his players, who are questioning his authoritative methods. The sports daily reported that De Zerbi was so angry with his team after a loss at Reims that he refused to run a training session this week, leaving it to his staff, and that the club's director of football had to intervene to diffuse the dispute as many players felt humiliated.

"I know when it’s time to hug my players and when it’s time to be a little stronger," De Zerbi said. "I’m not afraid, I’m ready to do anything for my job. That’s what I want to pass on to the team. I don’t want everyone’s approval, but everything has to be done at 100%."

Meanwhile, La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that De Zerbi is now the favorite to take over at Milan, with Massimiliano Allegri and Antonio Conte also considered for the job.

Since American owner Frank McCourt bought Marseille in 2016, the former powerhouse of French soccer has failed to find any form of stability, with a succession of coaches and crises that sometimes turned violent.

The club has changed coach 30 times since the beginning of the century, the highest total of any top-flight team in France in that period. The 1993 Champions League winner missed out on European qualification after finishing eighth in the French league last season.

Marseille dominated domestic soccer in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It is the only French team to win the Champions League but hasn’t won the domestic league since 2010.