Adrian Clarke looks at key tactical points and players who can be decisive in Matchweek 20.
Cody Gakpo (LIV)
Gakpo’s arrival at Liverpool could be good news for attacking team-mates Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah.
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In 2022/23, Gakpo produced an impressive 36 direct goal involvements for PSV Eindhoven and the Netherlands.
Comfortable on the left wing or as a central striker, Gakpo has split those contributions evenly, scoring 18 goals and making 18 assists.
Gakpo goals & assists 2022/23
| Goals | Assists | |
| PSV (League) | 9 | 12 |
|---|---|---|
| PSV (UCL) | 3 | 3 |
| PSV (Super Cup) | 1 | 2 |
| Netherlands | 5 | 1 |
| Total | 18 | 18 |
When you break down the type of assists Gakpo produces, two very clear patterns emerge.
Seven of the goals he made for PSV in 2022/23 stemmed from beautifully flighted, inswinging crosses from the left.
Shifting the ball on to his right foot, Gakpo delivers accurate, well-weighted crosses for his fellow forwards to attack.
The likes of Nunez, Salah and Roberto Firmino will benefit from that quality in the months to come.
Set-piece threat
Interestingly, Gakpo is a set-piece specialist, too.
Seven of his 18 assists this season have come from such deliveries, six corners and one wide free-kick.
One of these corners was converted by new team-mate Virgil van Dijk in an international match against Belgium.
From open-play and dead-ball situations, Gakpo’s presence should ease the pressure and reliance on quality crosses from full-backs Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Gakpo is a top-class creator who will lift his new team with key passes, as well as goals.
Top Eredivisie chance creators 2022/23
| Player | Chances |
| Cody Gakpo | 59 |
|---|---|
| Dusan Tadic | 59 |
| Orkun Kokcu | 34 |
| Oussama Tannane | 34 |
| Max Wittek | 34 |
The gifted 23-year-old showed high quality as a centre-forward during the FIFA World Cup 2022, but is more likely to operate on the left of Liverpool’s attack at the outset.
In that role he has proved to be an outstanding performer, regularly using his pace to go past defenders.
Gakpo had a competition-high 99 shot-creating actions in Dutch football this season, as he also naturally take up positions where he joins in as a second centre-forward.
His style of play is also likely to provide a nice balance to Liverpool’s front three.
If Gakpo starts on the left, with Nunez down the middle and Salah on the right, the Reds have real pace and movement across their frontline.
Just like Nunez, Salah and the injured Luis Diaz, Liverpool's latest recruit is a terrific runner with the ball at his feet.
He can fly past full-backs with dribbles on the outside or drive down the centre to good effect.
Gakpo's led the way in Eredivisie for the most shot-ending ball carries, with 18, before he left for Liverpool.
Eredivisie ball carries/outcomes 22/23
| Shot ending | Goal ending | Assist ending | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gakpo | 15 | Gakpo | 5 | Gakpo | 5 |
| Dilrosun | 17 | Simons | 4 | Tadic | 2 |
| Tavsan | 18 | Szymanski | 3 | Berghuis | 2 |
He also scored five goals and made another five goals from successful carries.
Two-footed danger
Sadio Mane was always going to be a tough act to follow but in Gakpo and Diaz, Liverpool have two superb options to fill the role the Senegalese vacated.
Gakpo is a two-footed operator but when he drifts inside from the left, he is especially dangerous.
His stock finish is a low right-footed curling shot into the far corner, and he also has an excellent curling cross in his armoury, too.
He looks a very smart acquisition.