Slot lauds Gakpo impact as Liverpool make it through in Carabao Cup

Arne Slot hailed forward Cody Gakpo after his double helped Liverpool into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

The Dutch forward put Liverpool 2-0 up in the second half before Luis Diaz added a third after Simon Adingra had pulled the score back to 2-1.

Tariq Lamptey added a late consolation goal but Slot’s side saw the game out to pick up another win on the road, and Slot was delighted with Gakpo’s impact.

He said: “Cody, in the second half of last season, scored a lot of goals, so he’s been a good player for Liverpool for some time now and he continues to bring that.

“For me, he is a regular starter. He’s not starting every game but he’s started on a regular basis and he’s in tough competition with Luis Diaz, who after he went to the left, also scored.

“It’s normal at a club like Liverpool you’ve got two quality players for many positions.

“If you look at the way Joe Gomez played and also Jarrell Quansah, who was maybe a bit unlucky with the goal he conceded, because his overall performance and from the both of them, I liked. They are in competition with Virgil (Van Dijk) and Ibou (Konate).

“That’s what you have when you play at Liverpool but for me, Cody has been a regular starter this season.”