Arne Slot says £44m Liverpool player has been showing ‘incredible speed’ during training recently

But Liverpool soon rallied back. Diogo Jota was brilliant in front of goal and his brace built a platform for the Reds to go on and get five without reply.

Jota was not the only one to have a bit of a red letter day against the Hammers, either.

Curtis Jones enjoyed himself after a bit of a difficult period being out of the side, while Cody Gakpo slammed home an impressive brace of his own.

And speaking after the game, Arne Slot admitted that having seen what Gakpo has been doing in training recently, he was hardly surprised to see his countryman plough in two excellent goals.

Arne Slot hails Cody Gakpo’s shooting
Gakpo has had to be patient so far this season. After a really good Euro 2024 with the Netherlands, the 25-year-old has started the campaign as back-up to Luis Diaz.

Unfortunately for Gakpo, the Colombian has been in terrific form himself. Diaz looks set for a new Liverpool contract on the back of some really good early displays.

But Gakpo has also stood up to be counted when given the opportunity. He was lively in Milan during Liverpool’s Champions League opener and was handed a second start of the season against West Ham.

The £44m man plugged away all game and finally got his reward with a stunning low finish past Lukasz Fabianski for the Reds’ fourth of the game. A deflected fifth soon followed.

And speaking during his post-match press conference, Slot admitted that he’s seen the same finishes from Gakpo day-in-day out at the AXA Training Centre recently.

“If I see him in training and the way he hits the ball in and around the 18-yard box it is with incredible speed,” raved the Liverpool head coach. “So, I’m not surprised to see him scoring like this.

“Someone just told me he scored a similar one last season in this cup tie against West Ham.

“So, I’m not surprised to see him score; not in the way he did,” Slot added. “But it’s not only about them scoring, it’s also about them defending in their own 18-yard box.”

Will Cody Gakpo start against Wolves?

Gakpo and Diaz’s early season form has led to what Slot could only deem to be a ‘good headache’ right now.

Both players really deserve to start for what they’ve been doing of late. But with the pair of them slated for a role on the Liverpool left wing, only one can get the nod each match.

And although Gakpo certainly did enough to get a start as the Reds face Wolves on Saturday, we don’t think he will.

While the Dutchman played the full 90 minutes at Anfield, Diaz sat on the bench. That will surely mean a return to the starting line-up for Liverpool’s No.7 at Molineux.