TalkSPORT analyst Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool has been encouraged by Danny Murphy to bench Cody Gakpo.
The Reds are off to a strong start in the new campaign. They are now fourth in the standings, three points behind Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur and only one point behind Manchester City. Despite Gakpo’s impressive performance, Murphy claims he would like to start with a different Liverpool player.
Cody Gakpo, a standout for Liverpool, should be benched, according to Danny Murphy.
In January, Liverpool paid £35 million to acquire Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven (Guardian).
The Dutchman has already made an impression on Jurgen Klopp, who has used him as a center-forward, a winger, and even in midfield.
Gakpo has participated in seven Premier League games so far this year. He has played as a striker all except the first two games, which Murphy doesn’t seem to like.
Darwin Nunez deserves to start, according to the pundit, who also asserts that if given more opportunities, the Uruguayan will score 20 goals per season.
Gakpo should be dropped, according to Murphy, because opponents’ defenders prefer to confront him than someone like Nunez.
“Look, Liverpool have good options in attacking areas,” he stated on talkSPORT. I would play Nunez down the center, Diaz, and Salah left and right, rather than Gakpo, even if I prefer Gakpo, when you face the greatest teams.
“I usually consider it in terms of a center-half for Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham, or Arsenal looking at the Liverpool team sheet to see if Gakpo or Nunez is playing. Nunez (makes me more anxious).
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Gakpo is a midfielder.
We concur with Murphy that Liverpool’s greatest front line would consist of Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, and Luis Diaz.
On the right flank, Salah is unquestionably the starter, but Diaz has excelled this year. Nunez is a good player to have since, despite just making three league starts this season, he causes problems for opposing defenders.
Gakpo has started five games this season as a center-forward, but the Dutchman is also capable of playing in midfield. It makes a lot of sense to play him, Alexis Mac Allister, and Dominik Szoboszlai together against teams that simply defend deep against the Reds.
It would be intriguing to see if Gakpo starts when Liverpool plays Everton following the break for international play. If it were us, we’d start with Nunez.
