When Diogo Jota was tackled by Christian Norgaard during Saturday’s 4-1 victory against Brentford, he was at the peak of his abilities. His knee injury could keep him out for months.
Although it hasn’t been confirmed, it would be shocking if he started playing again before the spring.
The player, who has maybe been in the best form of his Liverpool career, as well as Liverpool suffered a devastating blow.
Jota’s spectacular header into Darwin Nunez’s path for the first goal at Brentford embodied his brilliance and confidence, and going into the final stretch of the season, he seemed like one of the Reds’ real leading players.
But with the Portuguese out for what looks to be a long while, others will have to step up and produce his caliber of fight and influence in key situations.
The timing of Mohamed Salah’s injury comeback was perfect. He scored, assisted, and seemed to have never been away from the field as soon as he was introduced in west London.
Nunez, meantime, is having a very successful season despite some in the media trying to portray him as a complete moron. He is growing every week in all aspects of his game, scoring and dishing out assists at a remarkable rate.
Although Luis Diaz occasionally makes mistakes with his final pass or shot, he is a dynamic player who can attack the opposition with his speed and cunning on the left wing in addition to playing a rigorous defensive game.
However, Cody Gakpo is the most mysterious player in Liverpool’s attack right now. The Dutchman has a lot of fans, but others hope for more from him.
To be honest, the former PSV Eindhoven star’s naturally lazy air frequently works against him in comparison to an all-action player like Nunez. However, he should play with more belief and enthusiasm and may not always make the most of his tall size.
Nevertheless, Gakpo had a strong game against Brentford, contributing a header to set up Salah’s goal and finishing well to round up the score. Overall, his season has gone well.
He simply isn’t the same unwavering force that he was at PSV, where he was one of Eredivisie’s top players and put up 105 goal contributions (55 goals and 50 assists) in 159 games.
Gakpo has already scored ten goals this season, split between the Premier League, Europa League, and Carabao Cup. He has made some significant game appearances and has used his skill to good effect against fatigued opponents.
But without Jota, Gakpo will now need to step up his game more consistently, as his occasional flashes of brilliance won’t cut it during what will undoubtedly be a hectic time for Liverpool.
You always know what to expect from Salah, Nunez, and Diaz, but when it comes to their fellow offensive teammate, it can be brilliant, mediocre, or completely forgettable, as was the case against Arsenal when Klopp made the mistake of starting him over Nunez.
Gakpo will probably get plenty of minutes right away because there are just too many games left in the schedule for the manager to stick with the same three attackers every week. As such, he cannot afford to be hit-and-miss.
For the Netherlands international, whose first year and a half wearing a Liverpool shirt likely receives a B– rating, it seems like this could be a pivotal time.
Given that he has only started 41 games, his 17 goals in 60 appearances is a very respectable performance; nevertheless, an improvement on his six assists would be appreciated.
Although he has had some incredible moments, such as his skillfully executed double in the memorable 7-0 victory against Manchester United at home last season, there is a good reason he is ranked fifth.
Gakpo has two options between now and May: he can either perform brilliantly and help the Reds end Klopp’s tenure at the team in a historic manner, or he may underperform in games that demand more from him.
If the former occurs, he will gain a plethora of new supporters; yet, if the latter occurs, it is certain that further criticism will surface, perhaps even raising questions about whether he will ever be a truly excellent option for Liverpool.
Jota’s greatest quality is his willingness to give his life for the cause, which is part of the reason he sustains so many injuries. You can count on him to make an impression or produce a brilliant late comeback in a crucial game.
How do you feel about Gakpo?
It is difficult to accept.
This is not to suggest that Gakpo isn’t a fantastic football player in and of himself; rather, to use one of Klopp’s most well-known phrases, he needs to convert his skeptics and make sure Jota isn’t missed as much as possible.
As of right now, Salah, Diaz, and Nunez are without a doubt Liverpool’s top offensive combination. However, with the need for rotation due to foreseeable injury concerns, the Reds can only win the Premier League (and other tournaments) if Gakpo has a significant influence of his own.
This marks the beginning of his greatest Liverpool career.
