Liverpool fans should be getting concerned after what’s been revealed about Cody Gakpo

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Arne Slot looks set to rotate his Liverpool team once again for the visit of Ipswich Town on Saturday.

Slot made four changes for Tuesday’s win over Lille, with players such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate and Alexis Mac Allister getting varying amounts of rest.

Another player who started from the bench – and ultimately was given the full night off – was Cody Gakpo.

Gakpo was been excellent recently, slowly becoming the man Liverpool turn to when they need a big goal within a game.

Rotating from the left-hand side with Luis Diaz, the 25-year-old is a really key member of the Liverpool squad, even if he’s not a nailed on starter.

And, as it turns out, Gakpo’s rest against Lille was long, long overdue. According to some eye-opening data released by FIFPRO on Friday, Liverpool’s No.18 is top of a somewhat unwanted table.

Cody Gakpo named as most used player in world football

Despite arriving only two years ago, Gakpo has already racked up 110 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 35 times.

Up until Tuesday, the only game he had missed under Slot was the FA Cup win over Accrington Stanley earlier this month.

Gakpo was Liverpool’s most used player in 2024 and therefore it perhaps should not have been a surprise that the Dutchman has now been named as the player to have made the most appearances in world football during the last calendar year.

“Liverpool and Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo made the most appearances of any men’s player in the calendar year of 2024,” write the International Federation of Professional Footballers.

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Gakpo’s haul of 71 games for both Liverpool and the Netherlands national team is described as being ‘staggering’ by the body, who look out for player welfare.

Gakpo’s tally was one more than former Man City man Julian Alvarez, who played 70 times for City, Atletico Madrid and Argentina in 2024.

Arne Slot needs to be careful with Cody Gakpo

While on the one hand this news is obviously a huge compliment to Gakpo and his availability, it should also serve as a warning to Slot and the Liverpool coaching staff.

According to Jamie Carragher, Gakpo has been ‘sublime‘ of late, and the Reds cannot afford for him to pick up an injury.

It seems that Slot recognised this by keeping the forward on the bench during the win over Lille, but special attention should be paid to Gakpo in the coming weeks.

Having not played in midweek, it does look probable that the No.18 will start Saturday’s game against Ipswich, while he’ll be desperate to feature on Wednesday against former club PSV Eindhoven.

But with alarm bells ringing in the background, Slot has to make sure he manages Gakpo’s workload to avoid what could be a damaging injury.