Cody Gakpo was benched by Arne Slot during their Champions League clash against Real Madrid on Tuesday but that didn’t stop him from putting in a good performance.
The Reds won the game 1-0, with Alexis Mac Allister’s header being the thing that set the two teams apart.
However, one of the main things taken from the game was that Florian Wirtz is likely to be much better for Liverpool when used on the wing.
Florian Wirtz of Liverpool during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4 match between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid C.F. at Anfield.
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
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Although this meant that Gakpo was dropped, when he came on for Hugo Ekitike, he seemed to put in a much better performance, even if he was only on for 11 minutes.
Cody Gakpo could be another option for Liverpool at striker
Last term, Gakpo and Luis Diaz were battling to be Liverpool’s starting left winger.
More often than not, Diaz was the one who won the battle, with the Dutchman often getting used as Arne Slot’s number nine.
That’s because, when Gakpo is used on the wing, the main thing he tries to do is cut inside and get a shot off, but when he’s used as a striker, he can hold the ball up, pick out a pass and still get a shot off from his preferred foot.
The only problem with that, this season, is that Liverpool now have Ekitike and Alexander Isak among their ranks.
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However, from time to time, when one of the aforementioned duo needs a rest, Gakpo could easily fill in.
This is why Slot needs to experiment with his team. If he can give players an equal amount of rest by playing them outside of their usual positions, the Reds’ performance levels could stay strong.
Florian Wirtz’s performance may keep Cody Gakpo out of Liverpool’s starting XI
Although Slot always seems to try and shoehorn Gakpo into his starting XI, Tuesday’s game proved that the Reds don’t need him to start every game.
He may be the Reds’ only natural left-winger, but with the performance that Wirtz put in against Los Blancos on Tuesday, it’s clear that the 22-year-old can also be used there effectively.
The fact that Liverpool have so many world-class options at their disposal is impressive and proves how well Slot has done to recruit this much talent.
Liverpool's Dutch manager Arne Slot arrives ahead of kick-off in the UEFA Champions League, league phase football match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at Anfield.
Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images
Injuries will always play a part in the way that Liverpool’s team is lined up, which means that, once Isak returns, some tough decisions will have to be made, especially with how well the Reds have performed recently.
Most fans thought that the Anfield outfit were down and out after what happened to them in October, but now that they’ve shown that they still have what it takes to compete with the best, things are starting to look up.