Liverpool v Manchester United - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - March 5, 2023. Liverpool's Cody Gakpo celebrates scoring.
Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo has been praised for his opening finish during the Premier League game vs Manchester United by journalist James Pearce.
The Lowdown: Victory at Anfield
The Reds were the hosts at Anfield on Sunday afternoon as Jurgen Klopp and his side secured an emphatic 7-0 victory over the Red Devils thanks to goals from Gakpo, Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.
The Dutchman’s contribution was obviously the key moment, as he opened their account on 43 minutes after running onto an Andy Robertson through-ball to cut inside Raphael Varane and fire the ball into the far corner past David De Gea.
It had been a tight game with half-chances at both ends up until that point, but the floodgates opened thanks to the January signing’s opener.
The Latest: Pearce stunned
Taking to Twitter, Pearce couldn’t believe the execution of Gakpo’s finish to give Liverpool the lead just before the break. He wrote:
“Wow, what a finish that is from Gakpo. No wonder United wanted to sign him. The Dutchman showing them what they’re missing up top.”
The Verdict: Standout performer
Liverpool were huge under pressure to get a result coming into this game given United’s recent form, and Gakpo was one of the standout performers in this unbelievable scoreline.
The Reds winger received a match rating of 8.2, the second highest in the whole squad and only behind Salah, who scored the perfect ten for his record-breaking display, becoming the club’s all-time leading goalscorer.
The 6 foot 3 Dutchman won half of his aerial duels and produced a key pass before being substituted in the closing stages of the encounter (SofaScore).
Gakpo will have definitely proven a point to United, who were also chasing him prior to signing for Liverpool, and this reinvention could spark the start of a new era on Merseyside.
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