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Arne Slot has elevated a number of players to new heights at Liverpool this season, with Cody Gakpo one of the biggest winners from the Dutchman’s appointment.

The 24-year-old attacker is on course to enjoy his best season yet at Anfield with Gakpo forming a reputation for himself as an important goalscorer for Liverpool who is turning up at the right moments in the right games.

Cody Gakpo’s 2024/25 Liverpool statsGames playedGoalsAsssitsPremier League2283League Cup441UEFA Champions League621Total32145

With Paul Merson impressed with Gakpo’s development at Liverpool this season, the former PSV Eindhoven star has more than redeemed himself as a key player for the Reds after two seasons of good but not excellent performances.

Heading back to his former club tonight, Gakpo’s rise at Liverpool this season has been a joy to watch for supporters, yet the winger himself admits that he would not be where he is now had it not been for a tactical change from Slot.

Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images

Speaking to Eurosport, the Dutch international seemingly thanked Slot for moving him back onto the left-wing having primarily been used at Liverpool as a centre-forward, a position that didn’t get the best out of Gakpo’s abilities.

With Gakpo now back to his best, the tactical change has benefited Liverpool in a big way, and the forward seems happy to be back playing in his natural position rather than being shoehorned in the striker role like in previous seasons.

Gakpo said: “Obviously now I play on the left side, so I think that’s, for me, personally, the biggest change to my advantage.

That’s what suits me the best, and I think that’s where I’m at my best I went to Liverpool, I played a lot as a central striker, which was new to me.

But I’m very happy that I’m back on the left now and I think that’s the biggest change that the manager did for me.”

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Gakpo has been one of the success stories of the season for Liverpool, with Slot getting the 24-year-old attacker into fine goalscoring form and transforming the Dutch talisman into one of the most clinical forwards in the Premier League.

Yet the former PSV man is far from the only Anfield player to see drastic improvements this season, with Ryan Gravenberch compared to Patrick Vieira having established himself as one of the best young midfielders in Europe in Slot’s system alongside Alexis Mac Allister.

With Mohamed Salah on course to beat Thierry Henry’s Premier League record for 20+ goals and assists in a single season, Slot’s work in taking Liverpool players up another level or two is evident for all to see, with the Reds now on course for a historic year in the process.

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