In a season that will be Jürgen Klopp’s last at the club, Liverpool have been superb, with the club in the hunt alongside Arsenal and Manchester City for the Premier League title with just 11 games remaining this season.
The Reds currently sit top of the Premier League table, one point clear of Pep Guardiola’s side and two clear of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, with Klopp’s side able to match the two sides despite their hefty injury list.
Players such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Alisson have all been missing in recent weeks.
The injuries have given multiple youngsters the opportunity to impress, with Conor Bradley the main beneficiary, with the 20-year-old featuring five times in the Premier League this season and scoring his first goal for the club in the 4-1 victory over Chelsea in January.
Despite Klopp’s depleted squad, his side has still been able to grind out results. Saturday’s 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest was the latest example, with the Reds claiming all three points after Darwin Núñez’s 99th-minute header.
Despite the club’s brilliant run, a couple of first-team players have been disappointing, with one player at risk of being dropped ahead of Thursday’s Europa League tie against Sparta Prague.
Why Cody Gakpo could make way vs Sparta Prague
Cody Gakpo has endured a tricky few weeks for Liverpool, with the Dutchman failing to score in his last three outings. His tally of five goals in the Premier League is below par, given how many chances the likes of Salah, Luis Diaz and Nunez have created so far this campaign.
His last display away at Nuno Espírito Santo’s Forest side was particularly poor, with Gakpo unable to leave a lasting impression on the encounter, duly handed a dismal 4/10 match rating courtesy of Goal.
During his 84-minute performance, the striker was dispossessed three times with his poor control and slow reactions to blame for his sloppiness in possession.
He also lost seven duels during the encounter, with the Forest backline having the better of the former PSV forward for the majority of the game.
Gakpo only managed 32 touches, with Forest’s low block neutralising any potential pass into the striker’s feet. His tally of 32 was the lowest of any Liverpool player who started the game – another indication of his lack of impact during the contest.
Given his recent form, Klopp should be looking to replace Gakpo with one other Liverpool player more than deserving of a start against Sparta Prague on Thursday.
The man to replace Gakpo
After his late goal last weekend, Uruguayan striker Nunez is more than deserving of a start in the Europa League this week.
The “unbelievable” forward, as described by Alan Shearer, replaced Harvey Elliott in the 60th minute at the City Ground, with the 24-year-old causing the Reds backline no end of problems during the final half hour of the encounter.
During his cameo off the bench, Nunez had three more shots than Gakpo despite playing 54 minutes less – with Nunez also grabbing the decisive goal. He also won double the duels Gakpo did, with Nunez coming on with a huge point to prove.
His raw pace and power are a threat to any team in world football, with Nunez potentially having the ability to give Liverpool the edge in the Premier League whilst leading them to yet more European glory.
