Jurgen Klopp names Liverpool player who has had a 'bit of a struggle' this season

Jurgen Klopp has admitted that Cody Gakpo's shift to Liverpool's midfield earlier in the season knocked his confidence somewhat.

But the Reds manager is confident that the Dutchman will get back to the levels he displayed after arriving at Anfield - as he prepares to start against Luton Town tonight.

Gakpo joined Liverpool in January 2023 from PSV Eindhoven for a fee of up to £44 million. He quickly made an impact in his new surroundings and became the Reds' preferred striking option towards the end of the season ahead of Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino. In total, the forward scored seven goals to help Liverpool finish fifth in the Premier League.

However, the surprise departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho last summer - dovetailed with Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch not arriving until late in the window - meant Gakpo played in midfield in the opening two games of 2023-24, while he's featured in the engine room on six other occasions.

Gakpo has largely featured from the bench of late and his goal in last weekend's 4-1 win over Brentford was his 10th in all competitions - and fourth in the Premier League. But with Jota now absent for a couple of months, along with Nunez and Mo Salah doubts to face Luton, Gakpo is primed to return to the starting line-up.

Klopp takes responsibility for the 24-year-old's dip in form - and has never lost faith in him. Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Liverpool boss Klopp said: "The numbers are 100 per cent absolutely alright, or even better. But that Cody had a bit of a struggle in between the season was more my fault. Can Cody play a midfield position for us? Yes, he can, in different moments. Is it his position now? I would say no, that's not [the case]. The offensive part of the role he can definitely play, but with the defensive things, which he was not used to, that cost him a bit of confidence in moments, you could see that.

"The boy who came here and was flying from day one pretty much and then all of a sudden you saw: 'OK, that’s not exactly the same.' So, these things happen and will help him in the long term anyway, but in the short term you cannot always directly see it. But now he is absolutely there and as long as we can avoid that then we will probably not bring him in midfield and then it is very offensive, which again I am 100 per cent sure is possible.

"But it was not 'under the radar'. If you would ask Cody, he would not say it is the best season of his life but we all know how good a player he is and he is always a threat. He can be a threat in the air, he is on the ground really good, has a super finish, a good nose for finishing situations, a good dribbler, can keep the ball for us. Plenty of super things we can use and we need and yeah, that's it pretty much."