Liverpool defeated Leicester City to advance to the next round of the EFL Cup.
The third-round victory by Cody Gakpo, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Diogo Jota prevented panic from setting in, and the mood at Anfield has improved significantly since last season’s slump.
There were a few bright spots for Klopp during the match, with Gakpo demonstrating his exceptional skills.
How did Cody Gakpo fare in his matchup with Leicester?
In the second half of last season, the Dutchman scored seven goals and collected three assists. This season, he has already scored one Premier League goal. The Dutchman has had a strong start in Merseyside.
But he was at his brilliant best while playing the Foxes. The attacker, who also scored the equalizer for the Reds, had the performance with the highest Sofascore rating (8.2) for both teams.
Gakpo had a total of seven shots during his time on the field, showing just how dangerous he can be when motivated while also hitting the woodwork and wasting a great opportunity.
Even better, he made four tackles throughout the game while winning nine of his 15 ground battles, exhibiting outstanding toughness and a desire to win the ball back frequently.
Gakpo was outstanding, but Ryan Gravenberch also put up a strong performance that might be the catalyst for a comeback under Klopp.
What was Ryan Gravenberch’s performance versus Leicester like?
He created the most opportunities against Leicester while he was on the field, just like he did against LASK, according to journalist Bence Bocsak, who praised his performance yesterday night.
It appears that under Klopp, a man has been revived, and he is only beginning. Liverpool has a midfielder who is incredibly exciting to watch.
The former sensation of Bayern Munich played 65 minutes and had 33 touches during that time, making 100% of his dribbling attempts and putting in one precise cross. Sure, those aren’t particularly impressive stats, but his performance went far beyond the numbers.
The Dutchman managed three crucial passes against the Championship side and even supplied a fantastic assist for Gakpo’s effort, despite the fact that he had a difficult time getting into the game at the German club last season. It would have been normal for the Dutchman to need some time to catch up with the English game.
This was a fantastic performance that demonstrated his capacity to move across the pitch and generate inventiveness from a focal point.
The 21-year-old especially demonstrated his superb footwork to set up his countryman, and writer Neil Jones lauded him for his contribution to Gakpo’s goal, saying: “Made in the Netherlands. Gakpo was assisted by Gravenberch, who used a great feint to go past two defenders before making a nice pass into his path.
The £150,000 per week employee hasn’t had much trouble adjusting, and another strong showing last night will give the teenager confidence that he can put his disastrous time in Munich behind him and really excel under Klopp. With two assists since signing, there are early indications that the Dutchman might experience a second chance at life at Anfield.
The 3-1 victory over the Foxes keeps Liverpool’s unbeaten record intact. This weekend, Liverpool will travel to London to take on Tottenham Hotspur in what is sure to be an exciting matchup. Gravenberch will be hoping for another chance to show off his abilities then.