Cody Gakpo shares the Arne Slot change that’s made him an even better player at Liverpool

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Cody Gakpo has been a regular first-teamer ever since he was signed by Liverpool.

The attacker was brought in during the 2023 January transfer window with the Reds beating the likes of Manchester United to his transfer.

Of course, there have been times when Gakpo hasn’t performed to the best standards possible, but last season, he really came into his own.

However, the 2025-26 season has been a tad tricky for the Dutchman as he’s not been able to have as much of an impact on the team as he likely would’ve wanted to.

But that hasn’t stopped him from saying that some of Arne Slot’s tactical changes have made him become a better player.

Cody Gakpo says being used as a winger has helped improve his game for Liverpool

Even when the Dutchman played for PSV, he was used as a left-winger.

However, since Liverpool haven’t had an out-and-out striker for the last few years, Gakpo has mostly been used as the Reds’ focal point.

Last term, however, Slot chose to use Luis Diaz as his number nine, which, to be honest, worked out much better than most fans and pundits anticipated.

Diaz ended up having his best-ever season for the Reds, which resulted in him leaving Liverpool for Bayern Munich in the summer.

And, when Gakpo was asked what made him become a Premier League champion last season and perform so much better, he responded: “I think position-wise, slightly different, not central striker anymore and more from the left.

“New manager came in, slight tactical changes, I think.”

Cody Gakpo needs to find his form from last season to help Liverpool out in the 2025-26 campaign

Now that Diaz has exited, Gakpo is the only natural left-winger at the club.

Of course, Hugo Ekitike, Federico Chiesa, and Rio Ngumoha can all be used there if needed, but the first two play better in their natural positions, and Ngumoha is still too young to be a consistent backup.

This means that a lot of the burden of left-wing will be placed upon the shoulders of Gakpo, and with the form he’s been in this term, that’s a rather worrying thought.

Indeed, it’s still early days and there’s plenty of time for things to pick up, but with Ekitike suspended against Crystal Palace, a lot of extra pressure will be put onto the Reds’ attack.

That is, especially if Alexander Isak still isn’t fit enough to play a full 90 minutes.

At the moment, it’s anyone’s guess what could happen, but unless Gakpo improves soon, he could end up costing Liverpool some valuable points.