Cody Gakpo picks out the key difference between Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot… and reveals why his dad pretended to be Mo Salah after his ‘not great’ Liverpool display

Cody Gakpo has revealed the key difference between Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot, who succeeded the German at Anfield last summer. 

Under the former Feyenoord manager the Reds have ascended to the top of the Premier League and look on course to capture a coveted record-equalling 20th English top-flight title. 

Gakpo was signed by Klopp for £44million in January 2022 during a tumultuous season for the Reds. The forward was often played out of his favoured left-wing position and failed to produce the performances he displayed with the Netherlands national team or at his former club PSV Eindhoven.

However, under his compatriot, Gakpo has become one of the driving forces behind the side’s title charge and the 25-year-old hailed Slot’s tactical acumen and ‘patient’ approach, which he believes brings the best out of their midfield. 

‘This process, of course, started under Klopp,’ he wrote in The Player’s Tribune. ‘Now, Slot is building on that foundation. 

‘He’s a very down-to-earth manager. Very calm, composed. You can talk to him about football, life, anything. He’s so good tactically, and I think we fit well in his system. If you look at our midfield — Curtis, Ryan, Dominik, Wataru, Elliot, Alexis — they’re all complete midfielders. 

‘They can do it all: Run, win duels, and find each other between the lines. With Klopp we would more often play a long ball and then fight, but now that we’re playing with more patience, and shorter passes, you can fully see how much quality our midfield has.’ 

After an eye-catching start to life on Merseyside, which included a brace against Manchester United in a historic win, and further strikes against Everton and West Ham, Gakpo’s production stalled. 

Last season he was often used as a substitute, enjoying the majority of his minutes in the Carabao Cup and Europa League. 

The Netherlands international revealed a particularly touching anecdote of his father’s attempts to help him during this period – a routine that has continued as his form has improved. 

Johnny Gakpo – a former footballer himself – ‘invited’ his son into the garden after a Liverpool game and played the role of Mohamed Salah as he drilled a sequence from the fixture that was not to his liking. 

Gakpo continued: ‘Any error I made, we repeated the exact situation, just like how we used to practice when I was a kid.

‘He said, “OK, I’ll be Salah.” And he ran over to the right wing, and recreated the same scenario from the game. “OK, let’s do it right this time.”

‘I am not being funny! This is real. He does this all the time. I’ll come home after a Champions League game, and Dad will be waiting.’

Extra backyard sessions with his old man appear to be paying dividends this season, with the forward showing his best form since moving to the Premier League. 

Gakpo netted his seventh and eighth league goals in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Ipswich and his tally of 19 goal contributions in all competitions is only bettered at the club by Salah. 

‘I’m back on the left wing. I think that the biggest thing Slot did for my game is put me back in that position instead of playing in a more central role,’ he added. 

‘Basically, it’s all in the details. Those are the sort of things that have to fall into place at the right time. It all has to click.’