Former Aston Villa player Gabriel Agbonlahor stated that Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo was being played in the wrong position against Chelsea during the 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Speaking on talkSPORT, the retired striker mentioned Jurgen Klopp’s use of Gakpo in an unfamiliar role.
“The problem is they had Gakpo playing as a centre midfielder,” said Agbonlahor.
“They needed one more in there. They needed a [Moises] Caicedo or [Romeo] Lavia playing as a sitter, then [Dominik] Szoboszlai and [Alexis] Mac Allister in front.
“They really need to sign a sitter. They have been in for Caicedo and Lavia, and Chelsea have signed them both. They must be so frustrated.”
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It is no secret that Liverpool are desperate for a holding midfielder following their failed pursuits of the aforementioned pair, but the Reds must now act fast to secure alternatives to avoid using players out of position, such as Gakpo, for an extended period of time.
Klopp’s men have been linked with Real Madrid pair Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde, although it is clear that the former does not want to move away from the Bernabeu this summer.
Andre Trindade is another who has been linked with an Anfield switch. The Fluminense midfielder could be available for around £34million due to a release clause in his contract.
Agbonlahor casts doubt
Agbonlahor carried on to add further doubt upon Liverpool this season, stating that ‘a lot of work’ was needed to be done if they were to get a place in the top four this season.
In the talkSPORT presenter’s prediction, he had Manchester City winning the league with Arsenal, Newcastle United and Chelsea finishing second, third and fourth respectively.
Only time will tell if Agbonlahor’s vision will come true, but one thing is for certain – Liverpool must fix the gap in their midfield if they are to improve on the last campaign.