At the start of the season, Cody Gakpo found it impossible to break into Arne Slot’s starting XI.
Now, though, the Dutchman is arguably the second most important forward for the former Feyenoord boss, behind only Mohamed Salah.
Gakpo impressed during the Euros in a familiar left-wing role for the Dutch. Upon his return to Anfield, Slot made it clear that he was going to use his compatriot in a similar role rather than deploy him in central areas as Jurgen Klopp had.
Having been homeless in this Liverpool team ever since his arrival from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023, fans were excited to see what Gakpo could do for the Reds in his natural role.
The versatile forward was just as excited, too.
Speaking to Men in Blazers, Gakpo said he is happy with how Slot is using him out wide. He’s producing the best form of his Liverpool career in that role.
“Before I came to Liverpool I also played as a left winger. Then I came here and I started to play more as a central striker. At the Euros, I played as a left winger again. Then this season the new manager came in, I had a talk with him and he said, ‘you have to focus on the left winger position...this is your position when you come on or when you start’.
“Because he said there’s a lot of competition here, so you just have to show yourself. But he said, ‘that is going to be your position’.
“It felt a little bit, for me, like the old me, like what I did at PSV as well. I feel really good in this position. I try to show my best to everybody, what I’m capable of. I think I come into more one-v-ones now with my face towards the opponent, where I can really go inside and give a cross, shoot or go outside and give a cross – which is more my game, I would say, and where I think I can be really dangerous and help the team the most.”
The form of Luis Diaz, however, meant the Liverpool No18 didn’t make his first start of the season until mid-September when the Reds faced AC Milan in the Champions League.
The pass from Mo Salah 🤩
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 1, 2024
The finish from Cody Gakpo 🔥
Liverpool take the lead against Manchester City 😤 pic.twitter.com/j7tqHAefdf
He had to wait until early October for his first start in the Premier League. He set up the winner against Crystal Palace and started the next game in the English top-flight against Chelsea.
From then on, he initially shared the left-wing role with Diaz. The Colombia international had started the season like a player with a point to prove. He netted five goals in the opening five fixtures, including a double against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
His form tailed off a little and he didn’t find the back of the net in the English top-flight again until December. However, during this period, his role was tweaked by Slot.
With Diogo Jota out injured and Darwin Nunez lacking confidence, the Dutch tactician made the bold decision to use Diaz as a centre-forward.
Slot resisted the temptation to use Gakpo there, a role he’d done for Liverpool previously, instead opting to keep the one-time Manchester United transfer target on the left side of his front three.
It was a masterstroke on the manager’s part. Well, it was if you’re Gakpo, anyway.
The 25-year-old has been a big game player for the Reds this season. He’s scored against Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen this term.
He had six goals and three assists in his last ten outings for Liverpool and he’s already matched his haul of eight Premier League goals from last season.
Of those eight goals, he’s scored the equaliser on four occasions and netted the opener once. Not only is he showing up in big games for the Reds, he’s chipping in with big moments too.
After his double against Ipswich this weekend, he became just the 13th player in Liverpool's entire history to score in six successive Anfield appearances. He recognised the achievement in his post-match interview, saying: “I really do love scoring here but the most important thing was the win today,” Gakpo said via BBC Sport.
“Everyone knows his quality [Trent Alexander-Arnold]. I was eager to be on time in the box [to meet his cross] “Everyone is in good form but we have to keep going.”
Whereas the move for Gakpo two years ago looked a little odd given the numbers Liverpool had in attack at the time. Now it is looking to be one of the best decisions the Reds have made recently.
After Salah, he’s the one constant for the Premier League leaders this season.
Jota has struggled with injuries. Nunez has struggled with confidence. Federico Chiesa has struggled to get onto the pitch.
Diaz has struggled for goals having scored just three times since September 21st. And these three goals arrived in two matches in late December.
In fact, the Liverpool No7 has scored in just five of his 21 appearances. The 28-year-old has struggled to impact things in the final third for the Reds despite being given the opportunities.
For the past couple of years, it has always been Salah plus two in attack when piecing together the Liverpool XI. Now, though, it is Salah and Gakpo plus one other.
That shows how far he’s come as a player since the switch to Anfield. It highlights just how valuable he is to Slot and how key he’s been to this unlikely title challenge.
There will be more big moments to come this term and he’ll likely be at the scene of the crime for the Reds.
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