Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been speaking ahead of facing Aston Villa on Monday and admitted he might have mis-managed one Reds player.
Klopp is going into his final away game as Liverpool boss looking to get a win that could, in theory anyway, keep the Reds in the title mix going into the final day.
Of course, should Arsenal and Man City win, then it doesn’t matter what Liverpool do at Villa Park.
Nevertheless, Klopp will want to go out on a high in front of the away fans and to get a result, he’ll need all his players at their best.
One of those Klopp will be looking for another good performance from is Cody Gakpo. The £35m.) signing has been good of late and kept Darwin Nunez out of the team.
However, Klopp has conceded that this season, he may have got things slightly wrong in how he managed the Dutchman.
Jurgen Klopp shares why he might have mis-managed Cody Gakpo this season
Speaking about Gakpo in his latest press conference, Klopp admitted he might have got it a touch wrong with how he managed him.
“Cody, he knows that for a while he was not in his best moment, we had a conversation there. It was not for public what we spoke there about but it helped him a lot because we could sort it a little bit. It’s just a problem [because] can I speak in the first moment [when] the player is not performing anymore to the levels you expect him to do? Can you speak immediately? You can. But how can I have an answer for his situation if I don’t understand it?,” Klopp said.
“So, we have to try to look a bit longer into it and wait for a specific moment when I can give answers; maybe from my point of view that took too long as well. That’s maybe the case, but after that talk he stepped really up and it’s really good to see how physically strong [he is]. He’s a good footballer. He plays right wing, left wing especially, and centre. Smart again [and] full of confidence [and] physical strength. [It’s] a good moment, [which is] good for him, [and] good for us.”
Cody Gakpo has been brilliant lately
It might have taken longer than Klopp and Gakpo wanted but the Dutch striker has been good of late and it’s helped Liverpool.
Against Tottenham last week, Gakpo was one of the best players on the field and he won praise from a number of people afterwards.
Harvey Elliott spoke highly of the forward and how he felt Gakpo had been ‘amazing’ at times this season, while Gary Neville picked up on his performance as well from the commentary box.
Gakpo, then, will be hoping to finish the season strongly and make a mark on incoming manager, Arne Slot.
If he can produce next season like he has done in the last few weeks, then Liverpool will feel like they’ve got a new signing again.