Liverpool Star At Risk Of Being Dropped After Slot’s Decision

Cody Gakpo’s place in Liverpool starting XI looks uncertain after Arne Slot’s tactical switch during the Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid.

The Dutch forward has started all five games this season, but his performance was described as “lacklustre” by journalist Will Rooney.

Slot moved Florian Wirtz onto the left-hand side in the second half against Atletico, a position Gakpo has largely occupied this season.

The summer departure of Luis Diaz left Gakpo as the main option on the left, where he has three goal contributions so far, reports Give Me Sport.

However, with Liverpool boasting attacking depth, his position could soon come under serious threat as Slot experiments with different combinations.

Slot’s Tactical Dilemma in Attack

Alexander Isak is another option who could feature out wide, while Wirtz’s price tag makes him hard to leave out.

Slot substituted Gakpo early in the second half, raising questions about whether the manager was testing Wirtz for future fixtures.

Dominik Szoboszlai’s form adds to the selection puzzle, as he continues to prove undroppable in Liverpool’s evolving midfield and attack setup.

With Jeremie Frimpong regaining fitness, Szoboszlai could move further forward, pushing Wirtz out wide and squeezing Gakpo out entirely.

If Slot continues this approach, Gakpo may find himself reduced to a bench role, with Wirtz favoured on the left going forward.