Cody Gakpo: How the Liverpool striker developed into a key figure for Arne Sloto’s Premier League leaders | Football news
Cody Gakpo might go into Liverpool’s derby with Manchester United thinking what could have been. A different shade of red, maybe?
On Boxing Day, the Dutchman celebrated two years since his arrival at Liverpool from PSV Eindhoven – although his story would have been very different if Erik ten Hag had successfully taken him to Manchester United earlier in 2022.
“I think last summer I was in contact with the club and spoke to the manager, obviously he’s Dutch,” he told Sky Sports at the beginning of 2024
“But in the end it didn’t go through and that’s it. And Liverpool came in the winter. The best decision for me.”
Looks like a decision. With United entering Sunday’s game at Anfield floundering in the bottom half – with strikers Rasmus Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford struggling for form, playing time or even the appreciation of the home fans – Gakpo has emerged as a key cog in the league leaders Arne Slota.
And while Mohamed Salah has been Liverpool’s attacking star this season – there’s absolutely no doubt about that – Slott is equally right to ask the question: Where would his team be without Gakpo?
Salah may be leading the scoring and assist charts with 37 goals so far this season. Gakpo, meanwhile, contributed just five Premier League goals to Liverpool’s title challenge – but almost all of them came at key moments.
Three of his goals were to equalize with Liverpool, who were losing 1-0 and struggling at home. All big moments, all helping Liverpool score points, all – coincidentally – in front of the Kop.
Game-changing Boxing Day tie against Leicester, two more against Fulham and Brighton. There was also an opening in the once title race with Manchester City. On top of that, there’s the goal against Real Madrid in the Champions League. He also has four goals in three Carabao Cup games so far.
Overall, Gakpo’s ability to feature for Liverpool in multiple competitions is best demonstrated by the fact that he averaged the most shot-creating actions per 90 minutes of any striker in Sloto’s side. Even Salah didn’t contribute as much as Gakpo across the board.
Gakpo’s form epitomizes how Slot has improved this Liverpool team without having to turn to the transfer market. Like other players such as Luis Diaz and Ryan Gravenberch, the Dutchman has looked a bit lost settling into Liverpool life under Jurgen Klopp.
Part of his transformation into a key player comes down to his switch to the left wing. The forward mostly played that role at PSV Eindhoven, but former Liverpool boss Klopp preferred him anywhere but there.
It was six months ago, after Klopp left Liverpool and Gakpo left for Euro 2024 with the Netherlands, that the 25-year-old found his old self again.
“At the Euros I played as a left winger again. Then this season the new coach came, I spoke to him and he told me, ‘you have to focus on the position of left winger – this is your position when you come on or when you start’,” he said is Gakpo earlier this season.
“Because he said there’s a lot of competition here, so you just have to show yourself. But he said, ‘that’s going to be your position.’
“I felt a little bit, for me, as for the old me, as I did in PSV. I feel very good in this position. I try to show everyone the best I can, what I am capable of.
“I think now I’m getting into one-on-ones more with my face to the opponent, where I can really go inside and cross, shoot or go outside and cross – which is more my game, I’d say, and where I think I can be very dangerous and help the most team.”
Gakpo has developed into a real clutch player for Liverpool, but this is becoming a real turning point for Arne Slott’s Reds.
With eight games in January and some demanding challenges ahead, the Dutchman may be needed more than ever if Liverpool are to fly high in all competitions.
