Iconic striker praises Liverpool forward after tough start – ‘Looked very sharp’, ‘moving well’ on the pitch

PSV Eindhoven coach Ruud van Nistelrooy has praised striker Cody Gakpo, insisting his former player has finally found his feet at Liverpool.

Gakpo joined the Reds in the January transfer market in a €42m deal from PSV, where he had been starring since moving to the first team in 2018.

This season he had managed nine goals and 12 assists in 14 games in the Eredivisie alone, building on his impressive tally from last season when he managed 12 goals and 13 assists in 27 games in the Dutch top flight.

He’s struggled to continue that form early on in his time at Liverpool, failing to score in any of his first three league games for the club or FA Cup ties against Wolves and Brighton.

He broke his duck against rivals Everton last week and added his second five days later in the win over Newcastle with a performance that hinted he starting to get into the swing of things under Jurgen Klopp.

His goalscoring streak did not continue in Liverpool’s 5-2 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday but his former manager believes there were positive signs nonetheless.

“I thought Cody was strong. Just like all of Liverpool in the first 20 minutes,” he told De Telegraaf.

“They were blowing away Real Madrid and Cody was strong. He had some great ball-saving moments, playing the ball to the side and moving well.

“Cody also had some switching moments after ball loss, winning the ball back and looked very sharp. But that was also the case against Newcastle United, when he scored his first goal, and in the derby against Everton. You see he adapts quickly to that level.”