There can’t be a manager in the game who doesn’t hold at least a little envy for the front line options which Jürgen Klopp has at his disposal. Every single boss out there would love to have Jayden Danns in their squad.
Oh, and Luis Díaz, Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota, Darwin Núñez and Mohamed Salah. They’re quite good too. Competition is fierce when everyone is available, and while that isn’t currently the case, the latter pair should return soon, with only Jota further away from resuming first team action.
Klopp will be delighted to regain the problem of having to choose between several elite forwards. While preferences will vary from fan to fan, most supporters would put Salah top of the pile. Thereafter, there’s four internationals (and Danns) fighting for two spots.
The only regular forward to start the last three games is Gakpo. However, Harvey Elliott has been to his right each time and Díaz may well have been on the left for the games with Luton, Chelsea and Southampton had he not run himself into the Wembley turf in the Carabao Cup final. Klopp has had little realistic choice but select this trio where possible.
Based on his recent performances, the Netherlands international may be fearing for his place. Gakpo hasn’t been entirely ineffectual in the last month by any means — as his goals against Brentford and the Hatters will attest — but his other contributions have been minimal.
He had fewer touches in the first half against Chelsea than his countryman Ryan Gravenberch, who had to be substituted in just the 28th minute. By the time Gakpo was replaced by Danns, three minutes prior to the end of normal time, he had taken 23 touches when the forwards either side of him were both in the 50s for match actions. The 24-year-old only had eight more against Southampton, when you’d expect a player to see far more of the ball in a home game versus Championship opposition.
Despite this relative lack of involvement, Gakpo had some good goalscoring opportunities. Unfortunately for him, they further highlighted why he may miss out when Klopp has a full complement of forwards vying for selection.
Much has been made of Núñez’s wastefulness this season. The Uruguayan has converted just 23 per cent of his non-penalty Opta-defined big chances, markedly below the Premier League average of 39 per cent. But Gakpo is also a shade below par, at 37 per cent, whereas Díaz (44), Salah (52) and Jota (67) are all above.
