Liverpool star Cody Gakpo has continued his incredible form as his two-goal performance helped beat in-form Brighton & Hove Albion. The Reds defeated the Seagulls 2-3 in the Carabao Cup fourth round at the American Express Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Gakpo scored two sensational goals early in the second half after an evenly contested first-half battle between the two sides. The 25-year-old scored his first goal immediately after halftime when Tyler Morton unleashed him at the left flank against Brighton.
The Dutch international scored his second goal in the 63rd minute of the game and then received a well-earning rest. Head coach Arne Slot substituted Gakpo for legendary forward Mohamed Salah in the 71st minute which slightly annoyed the 25-year-old.
It’s clear that Gakpo wanted his hat trick but the fixture congestion requires game management for all the important players. The Reds will face the Seagulls again in the Premier League bout at Anfield and that game is a priority.
According to SofaScore, the 25-year-old enjoyed 77% passing accuracy from 30 passes and 46 touches in a very direct game. Both teams actively cancelled each other out with high-pressing, forcing each other to move the ball quickly or make mistakes.
Gakpo made two key passes and enjoyed a 100% long balls accuracy, creating one big chance for Dominik Szoboszlai earlier. The Dutch international made two successful dribble attempts along with winning three out of seven ground duels for his team.
Furthermore, Gakpo made a lot of recovery runs to help Andy Robertson and Morton, making one interception for the Reds. The 25-year-old has competed with Luis Diaz for the left attacking winger role this season with both players in form.
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Gakpo’s impressive consistency has continued since the latter end of the last season and remained pivotal for his national team in the Euro 2024. The 25-year-old needs to maintain this consistency as Liverpool will face many tough teams like Bayer Leverkusen, Real Madrid and Manchester City in the upcoming fixture period.
