'It brings pressure' - Liverpool star Cody Gakpo makes Premier League title admission as Dutchman reflects on one year with table-topping Reds

The 24-year-old Netherlands international has claimed although there is pressure ahead of hosting the Magpies at Anfield, he and his Liverpool team-mates are preparing in the same way and are ready for the test.

Speaking ahead of the upcoming clash against Newcastle, Gakpo also talked up the collective spirit in the Liverpool camp. "I think we are doing really good from the beginning of the season and we have a good group," he told the official Liverpool website. "This game, even though we are in first place, we just go into this game like it's a really important game – like every other game.Of course it brings pressure to be in the top position in the league but I think we don't see it like that. We are just really focused on that one game we have to play in that moment, and I think that's also a strength of the team.

"They [Newcastle] have a really good team. Obviously we have to work really hard, we have to fight together, stick together even through the difficult moments maybe that will come in the game – hopefully not but it's a world-class team as well.It's hopefully going to be a great game with us on top at the end."

Gakpo arrived at Liverpool in the January transfer window for around £36 million ($46m), and he is now approaching a year at the club ahead of the game on New Year's Day.

The versatile forward has made just under 50 appearances for the Reds in the short time he has been on Merseyside, as he looks to secure his first bit of silverware at the club in the near future, further outlining why he is remaining focused when commenting on a possible title race in 2024.

Gakpo, as well as other players in the team such as Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota, will all have to step-up in the coming weeks as they prepare to lose star-man Mohamed Salah to the Africa Cup of Nations.

Liverpool will play their final fixture with the Egyptian against Newcastle, before he jets off to the Ivory Coast to join up with his international team-mates. Following his departure, Gakpo will need to prepare for an FA Cup meeting against Arsenal and a Premier League game against Fulham.