Liverpool is currently in the same position as before, but at least this time they have Cody Gakpo with them when they return to the starting line.
Cody Gakpo was spotted working out with his new teammates for the Reds on Thursday at the club’s AXA Training Centre in Kirkby. He is expected to make his debut with the Reds this coming weekend when they host Wolves in the third round of the FA Cup.
Gakpo would have been included in the squad for Monday evening’s trip to Brentford if it weren’t for the red tape involved in his registration. While that loss has dampened the excitement brought on by back-to-back wins in the Premier League, the FA Cup could be able to provide some consolation.
After winning both domestic cups last season during a campaign that Liverpool took to the limit, the FA Cup is once again presenting up an exciting potential for Jurgen Klopp, who used to suffer criticism from interested quarters for seemingly paying little heed to domestic competitions.
After suffering such a catastrophic setback at Brentford, the Wolves match comes five days later, and there is just a week to prepare for the following league game, which is a challenging road match at Brighton.
In point of fact, the attention should be shifted to the opposing dugout when it comes to the selection of the team, as the opposing manager, Julen Lopetegui, may already be throwing in the towel if his comments are any indication. The Spanish manager made his comments following Wednesday’s draw at Aston Villa.
He expressed his confusion by saying, “I don’t see how we play in one competition with two days less than the opponent.”
“Perhaps it could occur once in a day, but twice in a row is quite a bit. For us, this makes a significant difference. They have two more days to rest and heal. I apologize, but I do not comprehend this at all. I have no idea why that is. There are five games scheduled within the next 15 days.
Their new manager is probably going to shake things up and have a look at those players he hasn’t had the opportunity to see yet as Wolves fight to stay out of the relegation zone and have little interest in going deep into the cup this season.
This may present an opportunity for Klopp’s side to earn a win that will improve their team’s morale and to immediately incorporate Gakpo into the starting lineup.
It has been made clear to us by everyone who has commented on him in the days since he signed that the Dutch World Cup star is capable of playing in a variety of positions in attack, as we have learned from everyone who has spoken about him in the days since he has signed, but it appears that the position from which he will start the most frequently will be on the left side of the front three.
There, he could make a connection with Darwin Nunez, who typically performs his finest work out on the left side of the field, and the three of them could then make a connection with Mo Salah. During Gakpo’s training, all three were observed to be in close proximity to one another. Gakpo was being put through his paces.
The fact that Roberto Firmino was not seen in training on Thursday suggests that this attacking approach may be the one that most appeals to Jurgen Klopp, who will be without defender Virgil van Dijk for the foreseeable future due to a hamstring injury.