Liverpool need no extra motivation for Leicester game, says Gakpo

Cody Gakpo says Liverpool need no extra motivation to win at Leicester City as they aim to stretch their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

The Reds stretched their unbeaten run to 21 games in all competitions with their stunning 6-3 thrashing of Tottenham last Sunday, getting back to winning ways after their draw with Fulham a week before.

Liverpool sit four points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand, and Gakpo admitted the players are enjoying the relentless nature of the fixture list with so much to play for.

"I think nobody can wait for it," Gakpo said. "We are eager to go out there again and to win the game. That's our goal.

"There's no extra motivation needed. We know what our goals are this season in every competition and that means we need to win the games.

"I like the rhythm – just game after game after game. And obviously, now we are in a good moment, it's more enjoyable. Every football player dreams of playing as many games as possible."

Ruud van Nistelrooy won his first two games in charge of Leicester but has now lost the previous two, suffering a heavy 3-0 defeat to Wolves last time out.

It leaves them just two points above the relegation zone, and they could be without striker Jamie Vardy, who has netted six Premier League goals this season, due to a knock.

However, the Dutchman is not shying away from the tough job ahead of him.

"The squad is good [after the Wolves defeat], they're fine. We know what position we're in," he said.

"The results from the four games, there are some positives. The last two are losses, but we look at the bigger picture and we look ahead.

"We know it's going to be a long season where we're fighting until the end to show we deserve to play in this league."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Liverpool – Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah has scored 99 goals in 141 home games in the Premier League (two for Chelsea, 97 for Liverpool). If he scores, he will become the eighth player to score 100+ on home soil in the competition, and fourth-fastest, after Alan Shearer (91 apps), Thierry Henry (113), and Sergio Aguero (125).

No current Premier League player has been involved in more goals (six) or provided more assists (four) on Boxing Day than him.

Leicester City – Jamie Vardy

Vardy has scored eight Premier League goals against Liverpool, with only Andrew Cole (11) and Harry Kane (nine) netting more against the Reds in the competition.

At the age of 37 years and 350 days, Vardy would also be the oldest player to score a Premier League goal against Liverpool with a goal in this game, if he is fit enough to play.

MATCH PREDICTION: LIVERPOOL WIN

Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 12 Premier League home games against Leicester (W10 D2), since losing three in a row between 1997 and 2000.

Leicester, meanwhile, have won just two of their last 12 Premier League games against Liverpool (D1 L9). They have had three runs of three consecutive defeats in this run (including a current one), but they have not lost four straight league games against the Reds since between 1987 and 1996.

The Reds are unbeaten in their last 21 matches in all competitions (W18 D3). It is their longest run without defeat since a streak of 25 between April and November 2021, and their longest within a single season since a run of 24 between January and May 1989.

And they have won their last seven league games played on Boxing Day, the longest current run among any side in England's top four tiers, and the Reds' longest-ever such run.

They have fared much better than Leicester, who have won just one of their last 10 Boxing Day league games (D2 L7), with that coming in 2018-19 against eventual champions Manchester City.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Liverpool – 82.6%

Draw – 10.6%

Leicester City – 6.8%