Arne Slot sent warning after what the Dutch media said about Liverpool ace Cody Gakpo
Liverpool star Cody Gakpo has had a great couple of weeks.
The Dutchman scored on the opening day of the Premier League campaign, with a cool finish in Liverpool’s 4-2 win over Bournemouth.
Gakpo signed a new contract with Liverpool last week, which will keep him on Merseyside for the foreseeable future.
He then received his 41st cap for the Netherlands national team, and he was joined by Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Gravenberch.
Gakpo shines in Netherlands draw vs Poland
Gakpo is one of Liverpool’s star players, and the same can be said for his national team as well.
His influence was clear to see as the Netherlands drew 1-1 with Poland, as he constantly terrorised Matty Cash, although the Aston Villa ace did score a stunning late equaliser after Denzel Dumfries’ opener.
Algemeen Dagblad highlighted the Reds star as “the best player for the Netherlands,” handing him a rating of 7.5 out of 10.
They added: “Gakpo was menacing and occasionally broke down the Polish wall with his individual moves. He also delivered the cross that Dumfries almost headed into the lead for the Dutch team.”
Voetbal International gave him a rating of 7 out of 10, presented without further comment.
Meanwhile, Volkskrant labelled him as “one of the standouts on a less-than-exciting, yet quite enjoyable, evening of football.”
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| Stats | Gakpo |
| Chances created | 2 |
| Touches in opposition box | 8 |
| Passes into final third | 3 |
| Pass accuracy | 37/41 (90%) |
Arne Slot cannot drop Cody Gakpo from Liverpool starting XI
Gakpo will be a crucial asset if Arne Slot’s side are going to retain their Premier League crown and go further in the Champions League.
There has been talk of Gakpo being dropped with Alexander Isak joining the Reds, with claims that Hugo Ekitike may be shifted to the left flank.
However, given Gakpo’s recent form, that cannot happen; he is simply undroppable at the moment.
- Gakpo got 18 goals and seven assists in 49 matches last season
- His total tally for Liverpool is 42 goals and 19 assists in 132 matches
- The Reds rejected interest from Bayern Munich this summer
Slot will have loved his left-winger’s display against the Poles, as it was exactly the kind of form that he needs the 26-year-old to be in.
The Reds have a crucial run of fixtures coming up, with the likes of Burnley, Everton and Crystal Palace in the league and tricky European clashes with Atletico Madrid and Galatasaray.
They need Gakpo to be fit and firing, and judging from the evidence provided in his latest display, he will be ready for the challenge.
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