Cody Gakpo must listen closely to ‘disappointment’ message amid uncertainty caused by Alexander Isak

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Cody Gakpo has enjoyed a tremendous start to the 2025/26 campaign with Liverpool.

The Dutchman has notched one goal and two assists in the opening three Premier League fixtures of the season and appears to be a nailed-on starter for Arne Slot.

Gakpo claimed he will be better this season despite having his most productive campaign in a Liverpool shirt last term, scoring 18 goals and adding seven assists across all competitions.

Although Gakpo had to fight for his place in the starting lineup last year, Luis Diaz’s departure to Bayern Munich means he stands unopposed in the left wing spot.

However, the dynamic among the attacking options has changed since Alexander Isak’s arrival on deadline day, and now Gakpo’s starting berth could be under threat, particularly after what Ronald Koeman had to say about his Netherlands attack.

Ronald Koeman bemoans his Netherlands attackers

In his post-match interview with Dutch broadcaster NOS Sport, Koeman criticised his players for not scoring a second goal in the 1-1 draw against Poland in World Cup qualifying.

“The disappointment comes through. I wasn’t calm towards the end of the game. You know you have to get a second goal to have that peace.

“You know there will be one or two moments for them. This is painful, especially when you see how it came about.

“This can happen if you don’t get a second. At times, we could have kept our positions better and played a little faster. I had the feeling that we were too busy playing out the game.”

Anfield will be a different place for Gakpo when he returns from international duty, as he will face increased competition to keep his place in Arne Slot’s starting line-up.

The “hugely talented” youngster Rio Ngumoha was the 26-year-old’s main competition at left wing, and given that the 17-year-old has recently been promoted to the first-team squad, it is highly unlikely Ngumoha would pose a significant threat to his position.

However, Jamie Carragher said Ekitike could compete with Gakpo to accommodate room for Isak to lead the line for the Reds, and although the Dutchman has flourished, his French teammate has arguably been even more impressive.

Therefore, Gakpo must produce a dominant display against Lithuania on Sunday – Slot will undoubtedly be keeping a keen eye on how all his players fare during the international break.

How do Cody Gakpo and Hugo Ekitike compare?

While Ekitike played the entirety of the 2024/25 campaign as a central striker, he does fit the profile of a versatile attacker that Slot demands for his system.

On paper, Ekitike had the more productive season than his teammate Gakpo, but of course, that is taking into account that the pair played in different positions.

Should the Frenchman replicate his goalscoring exploits for Eintracht Frankfurt at Anfield this season, he could even outshine Isak and potentially Mohamed Salah.

Nevertheless, with a combined goal contributions tally of 59 goals across all competitions, choosing which of the two to start for the trip to Burnley is certainly a welcome headache for Slot.