Two in two: The real Cody Gakpo has arrived at Liverpool

Karan Tejwani

• 18 Feb 2023 20:05 GMT
• 3 min read

Cody Gakpo scored against Newcastle - his second goal in as many games for Liverpool - and he is showing more form with the Reds.

The Dutchman joined Jurgen Klopp’s side from PSV in the Netherlands having impressed with them and then his country at the World Cup.

His start was quite slow and coincided with Liverpool’s poor run of form, but the last two games have shown his better qualities.

READ: EXCLUSIVE: Liverpool could sign Bellingham AND Mount this summer

He scored against Everton in the Merseyside Derby last week, and has now bagged against Newcastle, giving optimism for the future.

Gakpo getting into gear at Liverpool

This season has been a complex one for Liverpool but they will feel positive of securing a spot in the top four with 15 games left to play.

Important to that will be Gakpo’s form, as he is now proving to be a good attacking outlet, which he was brought in to be.

READ: Why Bellingham could wait for Liverpool

Adapting to a new team and league isn’t easy and Gakpo showed he always had the talent for this level - he just needed time and faith.

Recent games have shown a greater desire to pick up better positions, finding spaces in between defences and exploiting them - which he did well at PSV.

The good bit for Gakpo is that his team will only get stronger - players are going to start returning from injury for Liverpool and it can give them hope of a strong finish to the season.

Everton and Newcastle aren’t easy opponents either - the Toffees have been buoyed by Sean Dyche’s arrival, while the Magpies have been flying all season - so these two goals will be a major confidence boost.

Next up is a game against the Spanish and European champions in the Champions League: Real Madrid will be the biggest test of Gakpo’s domestic career thus far, and performing well there could set him up for a bright future.

At Liverpool, attackers rarely struggle under Jurgen Klopp: the likes of Sadio Mane, Luis Diaz, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota have all done well over the years and Gakpo certainly has the talent to reach those same heights.