Arne Slot explains plan for Cody Gakpo as Liverpool winger takes 'my moment'

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot didn't start Cody Gakpo against Nottingham Forest last Saturday to manage the forward's workload.

Gakpo, 25, produced a fabulous display in Liverpool's 3-1 Champions League win against AC Milan on Tuesday. Although the Netherlands international didn't score at the San Siro, he did assist Dominik Szoboszlai's goal during the second half.

Gakpo has struggled to nail down a spot in Liverpool's starting XI since moving to Merseyside from PSV in January 2023. Yet expectations are high for him this season after his stellar performances at Euro 2024, where he shared the Golden Boot with three goals.

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Despite impressing for his country, Gakpo was forced to wait until Tuesday to make his first start of the season for Liverpool. Slot decided to introduce the player from the bench against Forest - a game which Liverpool surprisingly lost 1-0 - after he started both of his country's recent Nations League games against Bosnia & Herzegovina and Germany.

"A great way to spend my birthday." Slot, who celebrated his 46th birthday on Tuesday, told Amazon Prime Video after the game. "We have more than 11 players and the ones that came in did well. You wouldn't have said this after five minutes, but after we did well.

"Losing Saturday was a blow and to be 1-0 down early tonight, you are wondering how we react. But if you can play so good it is - I won't say a disgrace - unbelievable you lose to Forest at home if you can play like this today."

On Gakpo, he said: "I would have played Cody Gakpo on Saturday, but he played two games for the national side. Today was more a team display than an individual display."

Gakpo, meanwhile, is confident of starting more games in his preferred left-wing position after Tuesday. He added: "I think we had more chances but they were dangerous in moments as well. We controlled the game pretty good and it's a fair result for us.

"We stayed calm and stayed focus. We have to thank our center-backs for two great headers. After that moment we controlled the game better. We work on set-pieces before every game and we're very happy it worked out today.

"Every player wants to play and I got my moment. I really wanted to show myself and I am very happy with an assist but also especially with the win."