Liverpool face Wolverhampton Wanderers for the third time in a month on Saturday afternoon in a Premier League encounter in which Jurgen Klopp’s side cannot afford to lose further ground in the race for Champions League football next season.
Having drawn against Julen Lopetegui’s team in a contentious affair at Anfield in the FA Cup third round, forcing a replay that the Merseysiders narrowly won, the teams meet in the top flight for the first time this season. Anything other than departing from Molineux with three points in tow will come as a blow to Liverpool’s prospects as the season gradually approaches the business end.
Klopp’s men have been beset by turmoil this season, currently languishing in tenth place and out of both domestic cup competitions, with a daunting tie against holders Real Madrid awaiting in the Champions League round of 16.
It would be foolhardy to rely on securing Champions League football next term by winning this year’s edition, and every domestic fixture must now be treated as a must-win. In order to maximise Liverpool’s prospects of another victory against the Old Gold, £35m January signing Cody Gakpo must start today.
Depsite failing to register a direct goal contribution across his first five outings for his new club, Gakpo has looked menacing and comes off the back of an incredible start to the season with PSV Eindhoven, which preceded an impressive World Cup with Netherlands where the 23-year-old scored three times.
In his homeland this term, the £120k-per-week winger plundered 13 goals and 17 assists from 24 outings and swiftly asserted himself as one of Europe’s most exciting young talents, reaffirming that status in Qatar over the winter.
Hailed as a “sensation” by journalist Tom Allnutt, Gakpo brings dynamism and fire to his play; and according to one scout report, his blend of direct assault and precise, defence-splitting ball-playing skills are what earned him his move to the Premier League.
With Liverpool already taking confidence from the knowledge they bested today’s opposition on this ground less than weeks ago, there is a clear path for victory. Indeed, Gakpo could have extra motivation here to let Wolves know what he is all about, having endured a frustrating Reds debut against Lopetegui’s team at Anfield just under a month ago.
Five games; no goals, no assists – on surface level, Gakpo’s barren entrance to life at Anfield is somewhat alarming, but dig a little deeper and there is evidence to suggest that he could soon come good.
As per Sofascore, he was Liverpool’s joint-second highest-rated player in the FA Cup defeat at Brighton last week, while he had no fewer than seven shots against Chelsea the previous week, so it’s not for the want of trying that the Dutchman is yet to get off the mark in red.
The World Cup gem entered the fold at Liverpool amid a difficult period for the club, and while he has not wreaked havoc so far as many of the Reds faithful would have hoped, he is getting into positions where he can threaten. Today might just be the day that the dam bursts if Klopp keeps faith in him.