But even before firing past Lukasz Fabianski twice in second-half stoppage time as the Reds made light work of West Ham, the Dutchman was doing his utmost to ensure Arne Slot's team selection ahead of Saturday's trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers is far from straightforward.
Life at Anfield has been anything but straightforward for Gakpo since his £37m move from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023, of course, but with the help of his compatriot Slot, he has breathed new life into his Reds career.
Here, eight days on from his strong showing in the San Siro - an arena synonymous with Dutch greatness - Gakpo was Liverpool's main threat for much of his third-round tie and relished his battle with Vladimir Coufal as he recorded the most dribbles (2) of any player over the 90 minutes.
And his quick-fire brace when cutting inside late on served as another reminder that to get the best out of him, he must be deployed on the left. Gakpo is no longer Liverpool's utility man. Instead, he's quietly putting together an impressive body of work that proposes he is one of the first names on the team sheet.
Arne Slot ready to continue Liverpool's love affair with the Carabao Cup
Top Stories
For all that has changed at Liverpool in 2024, the club's love affair with the League Cup remains unchanged.
Slot may have been in the Anfield hot seat for less than four months but already, it seems, he is learning just how important this competition can be for the Reds' aspirations later in the season. And this thrashing of the 2023 Conference League winners, in which Slot made nine changes from Saturday's win over Bournemouth, emphasised just how strong the options at his disposal are.
A collective sigh could be heard from the 6,000 Hammers in the away end as the fourth official signalled the introduction of both Mohamed Salah and Alexis Mac Allister just before the hour mark as Liverpool turned the screw once more and burst West Ham's bubble by scoring three goals after the pair's introduction.
Of course, the midweek trip to Brighton and Hove Albion in the next round won't be one that those of Liverpool persuasion are counting down the days until. But for Slot, it offers another opportunity to satisfy the needs of his star-studded squad all vying for minutes.
Wataru Endo ready for Liverpool fight after transfer interest rebuffed
Few players' Liverpool careers have been synonymous with a cup competition quite like Wataru Endo and the Carabao Cup.
The Japan international had his work cut against Julen Lopetegui's side as he faced up against the combative duo of Edson Alvarez and Tomas Soucek in midfield. But in typical, Endo-like fashion - a steely determination that Kopites became accustomed to during his debut campaign - he was more than up for the challenge.
And throughout a quietly impressive 82-minute outing at Anfield, he completed 94% of his attempted passes, made seven recoveries and came out on top in three of his four aerial duels.
Of course, this alone won't be enough to thrust the 31-year-old to the top of Slot's pecking order. But after a summer where there was much speculation about his future at the club following a £12m bid from French outfit Marseille, Endo has at least proven that is ready for the fight.
After all, that's the only way he knows how to go about life at Anfield.
0 Comments