Gakpo becomes first Liverpool star to send message to Slot ahead of appointment

06 May 2024 , 04:00

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Gakpo showed his heading ability to score Liverpool's third goal (Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Arne Slot had other business to attend to on Sunday, with his Feyenoord side in Eredivisie action against PEC Zwolle in the early evening.

Whether or not he caught any of Liverpool's 4-2 win over Tottenham as it happened is really a moot point though, as he'll watch it all eventually. You don't get to the front of the queue to be appointed Liverpool's new manager without being a football obsessive, after all.

And when he watches the game Slot is sure to be impressed with the display of his fellow Dutchman Cody Gakpo, who was picked from the start by Jurgen Klopp again and delivered a fine performance.

It was Gakpo who made the first goal for Mo Salah with a teasing cross that the Egyptian couldn't really miss to deliver a lead that had been coming, and then there he was scoring a textbook centre-forward's header at the Kop end to make it 3-0 in the second half.

Gakpo's Liverpool career has been a curious one, coming into the team as he did when it was at low ebb in January last year.

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Until recently you could say that he played his best Liverpool football in that time, strangely, but in the past few weeks he has begun to deliver impressively when Klopp has deservedly chosen to start him in attack instead of Darwin Nunez, partly due to Nunez's poor form.

Gakpo has been in impressive form in recent weeks (Paul Greenwood/REX/Shutterstock)

That decision in itself has likely served as a confidence booster for the Dutchman, and he is finishing the season strongly ahead of a summer when he is to be joined at the club by a man who knows him well in Slot, whose Feyenoord sides took on Gakpo when he was tearing up the Dutch league with PSV Eindhoven.

In Slot's preferred formation in his current side much has been made of a strong, traditional No.9, with Mexican Santiago Gimenez doing that impressively across the last two seasons as he's scored 47 goals.

Many have assumed that could be Nunez for him at Liverpool, and it still might if it all eventually clicks, but right now Gakpo is the man in possession of the shirt and deservedly so.

The forward is quick, strong, presses like a demon and can head the ball impressively as he did for his goal. He really is the full package when he is on form, and he could end up having a big future at the club.

Slot is sure to like what he sees when he eventually watches the game, with Gakpo's impressive form coming at a useful time.

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Mark Jones