Cody Gakpo marked his anniversary in style.
It was Boxing Day night 2022 when PSV Eindhoven announced they had reached an agreement to sell the Netherlands attacker to Liverpool.
Outgoing Anfield sporting director Julian Ward had worked through Christmas Day to get the framework of a £44million ($55m at today’s rates) deal thrashed out.
Gakpo had been on the club’s list of targets for the following summer but PSV’s willingness to sell in the winter — coupled with injuries to Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota — led to Liverpool fast-tracking the arrival of a player who had also attracted interest from Manchester United and Chelsea.
The Netherlands international proved to be a slow burner. He scored seven times in 26 appearances while he adjusted to his new surroundings in the second half of 2022-23 and then netted 16 goals in 53 matches in 2023-24.
Under Jurgen Klopp, he was a jack of all trades. He didn’t have a set position as he was shifted from the wing to the central striking role or deployed deeper as the No 10 or even in a midfield berth. He never complained but it was hardly conducive to delivering on a consistent basis.
Yet since Arne Slot arrived at Anfield last summer, things have changed. Gakpo’s been deployed solely on the left flank — where he made his name for PSV — and Liverpool have reaped the rewards. He looks more confident and effective — some rough edges have been ironed out.
Having contributed a goal involvement every 137 minutes he played in all competitions last season (16 goals, six assists), that figure stands at 98 minutes (10 goals, four assists) this time around. It took him until mid-February to reach double figures for goals in 2023-24.
It’s not just the weight of goals but the importance of them that makes Gakpo so valuable. He steps up and delivers in big moments. Having scored the opener in the win over Manchester City, and equalisers against both Brighton and Fulham, he provided the inspiration Liverpool were craving against Leicester City on Thursday.
Gakpo was often used across the front line by Klopp (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Slot’s side were on the brink of going into the break trailing to Jordan Ayew’s opener. Anfield was growing restless as the sight of a succession of aimless crosses being slung into the penalty area as decision-making repeatedly let the home side down. For all their possession, Liverpool had forced just one save from Jakub Stolarczyk.
Then in first-half stoppage time, Gakpo transformed the mood. Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy must have feared what was coming when the 25-year-old cut in off the left and darted past full-back James Justin.
Van Nistelrooy, who coached Gakpo in the academy at PSV and subsequently managed him at first-team level, had seen this finish many times. There was Gakpo curling an unstoppable right-footer beyond the goalkeeper and into the far corner.
“It was crucial to score to make it 1-1 just before half-time because that lifted us up,” Slot admitted.
“You could see that immediately in the second half as we just kept on going with what we did. It was not only helpful for us, but I think it also worked the opposite way for Leicester as they felt like: ‘Okay, now it’s going to be tough.’”
There was a certain inevitability about what followed after the interval. Gakpo, who completed 22 of his 24 passes (92 per cent), continued to lead the charge after Curtis Jones’ close-range finish on his 100th Premier League appearance had put Liverpool in front.
Gakpo thought he had added a third with an emphatic finish but his celebrations were curtailed by Darwin Nunez straying offside in the build-up.
Instead Gakpo had to settle for an assist with the lofted pass that sent Mohamed Salah scampering away to wrap up a victory which sent Liverpool seven points clear with a game in hand following Chelsea’s surprise defeat to Fulham earlier in the day.
GO DEEPER
The Briefing: Liverpool 3-1 Leicester – Seven points clear… but what changed at half-time?
What an embarrassment of riches Slot possesses in attack. Luis Diaz had the night off, Diogo Jota was only called upon late on and Federico Chiesa remained sat on the bench throughout.
Liverpool could afford to carry another underwhelming display from the wasteful Nunez, who completed just 10 of his 19 passes (53 per cent), won just one out of four duels (25 per cent) and forced a save with just one of his four attempts on goal.
Although Diaz has showcased the ability to play centrally as a false nine at times, Gakpo is effectively vying with the Colombian for that left-sided spot. It’s hard to think of another elite manager anywhere who has two players of such calibre competing for the same position. He will keep on rotating.
Asked about the decision to play Gakpo on the left this season when he had been moved around previously, Slot said: “I think the main difference maybe is that the setup of the front three was a bit different previously than the setup now.
GO DEEPER
The Briefing: Who can stop Liverpool, fragile Haaland and why are Man Utd conceding ‘olimpicos’?
“We expect a bit from our wingers to keep it wide, to try to get them in one-v-one situations. Cody has done this really well.
“Lucho (Diaz) has done this really well when he played from the left but Lucho is, in our opinion, also capable of playing as a nine. He did that really well against Spurs. Against Spurs it was mainly maybe Lucho and Mo that were dominant, now it was Cody again, together with Mo. It’s just nice to have so many options, in every position actually but also in the front three.”
Gakpo has started nine of Liverpool’s 17 Premier League matches this season and has come off the bench in the other eight. Always available, always ready to make the difference.
He’s certainly grown in stature over his two years at Anfield. He’s not their most potent attacking weapon but he’s arguably their most underrated as Liverpool’s grip on this title race strengthens.
(Top photo: Copa/Getty Images)
