EXCLUSIVE | Emile Heskey: Liverpool “have to be professional and focused” in Lille clash | OneFootball

Retired England international Emile Heskey sat down with Get French Football News to talk about two of his former clubs ahead tonight’s Champions League clashes with Ligue 1 opposition. Liverpool host Lille OSC, while Aston Villa travel to AS Monaco.

Liverpool have won all six of their games in the Champions League but are playing a Lille side that embraces their status as giant killers. Where do you think this game will be won or lost?

I think with a lot of these games it’s to do with the mindset of the players as they come into the game. I can understand the giant-killing [mentality] as you have no pressure. And then obviously, the ones you’re technically calling the giants they’re the ones who are saying “Well, we’ll turn up and we’ll win.”

That’s the problem. If Liverpool turn up with the right mindset. They’ll win that game. But it’s if they turn up with the right mindset to go out there and perform. [They’ve got] to be professional and focused on winning that game. The French league is more of a counterattacking league. So I’m guessing there’ll be a lot of counterattacking football from Lille. So it’ll be interesting to see that.

Jonathan David has been linked with a move to Liverpool – do you think he’s a better fit than their current options Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez?

That’s a tough one, isn’t it? [Núñez] has just come off scoring two goals against Brentford. It could kickstart his season, you never know. He can only do what he’s doing at this moment in time. He works his socks off. He’s fantastic at chasing people down. A lot of his stuff is done going back the other way rather than going forward. His composure in the second goal was great so you can see there’s a little bit of still confidence there. He just needs to get that confidence again and score more goals.

They do need another striker. I think that’s clear to see. Jota is injured a fair bit and Díaz is more of a winger than a striker but he gives you different options. Yeah, I don’t see why [not]. He’s a young lad, Jonathan David. He’s just turned 25.

Angel Gomes is another Lille player earmarked with a move to the Premier League – where can you see him playing?

It’s funny because I played with his brother. I used to train with his brother. They’re Manchester lads. They were based in Manchester. Seeing [Angel] play and reinvent himself is great. Seeing him play for England. And yeah I enjoyed watching him to be honest with you. He’s got something different to what we usually see with England. But yeah he’s reinvented himself so it’s good to see he’s getting a reputation and getting some traction to possibly get a move.

In France, Anfield has a special reputation as the stadium people point to when they talk about impressive atmospheres. Could you tell me a bit about what it was like playing there?

Yeah, it was phenomenal. It’s got this energy about it. It’s got this aura and an energy about it and as players you feed off that. When I was playing, we’d go away and try and stay compact and solid. We didn’t want to concede because we knew that when we brought them back home no one was going to beat us. It’s just one of those things that you feed off the crowd. And it’s a weird one, the European nights, what’s different? I can’t tell you what’s different but there is something different.

Another of your former teams are playing a Ligue 1 side tomorrow. Aston Villa are travelling to Monaco. How do you think the teams compare?

I think Villa with the manager [Unai Emery] have done fantastic. It’s been tough for them doing both the Champions League and the Premier League. Especially with the size of the squad. I think it’s been tough for them. But I think he’s done fantastic. Emery has done brilliant and he’s showing that he’s more than capable of winning [the match against Monaco] and staying in the top half [of the Premier League] or chasing the top four. It’s been a tough season for him, especially in the league lately. I’m enjoying watching him and watching them play because you see a style, you see a pattern, you see intensity, you see drive. And this was all from the same players they had before [him].

How has being a Premier League striker changed since you’ve retired from football?

The strikers are not the same anymore. The role has changed over the years where you don’t have strikers. Everyone wants to be a winger. But it’s coming back around. Nottingham Forest are showing that with Chris Woods. Ipswich have Liam Delap. So it’s coming back around where you’re needing strikers and ones that want to hold the ball up, ones that want to be an outlet, ones that want to run in behind. It’s funny because when you look at when I was playing you had to have all of that. So you had to be able to do all of that. Now it’s like I’m good at that bit, I’m good at this bit, I’m good at that bit, but we had to figure out doing all of it at once. But it’s going to come back around. You’re looking at Erling Haaland, he’s changed it again.

Emile Heskey was speaking to Get French Football News exclusively on behalf of Casino Scout, who have the latest football betting offers.

GFFN | Nick Hartland