'With Jurgen Klopp, we would play a long ball and then fight, but now that we’re playing with more patience and shorter passes, you can fully see how much quality our midfield has' Cody Gakpo reveals how Liverpool have altered style under Arne Slot

Cody Gakpo (2L) celebrates scoring the team's second goal with Liverpool's Dutch defender #04 Virgil van Dijk during the UEFA Champions League football match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on November 27, 2024.
Cody Gakpo believes players like Virgil van Dijk are key — and not just for what he offers on the pitch (Image credit: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

Almost a year ago to the day, former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp shocked the world when he announced he was to depart Anfield at the end of the season.

A period of upheaval was expected. Any pundit who could get in the vicinity of a microphone was telling the world that you want to be the manager after the next manager. Arne Slot said, ‘Hold my beer’.

With Christmas passed – when favourites begin getting locked in – the Reds have built a comfortable, if not yet unassailable, cushion at the top of the Premier League. Writing for The Players’ Tribune, forward Cody Gakpo points towards a few key elements that have made the transition so smooth.

Cody Gakpo tips Liverpool to have ‘all the pieces’ for the Premier League title

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - OCTOBER 23: Standing: (L-R) Caoimhin Kelleher of Liverpool, Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool, Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool, Ryan Gravenberch of Liverpool, Cody Gakpo of Liverpool, Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool, Alexis Mac Allister of Liverpool, Darwin Nunez of Liverpool, Kostas Tsimikas of Liverpool, Trent Alexander Arnold of Liverpool, Mohamed Salah of Liverpool during the UEFA Champions League match between RB Leipzig v Liverpool at the Red Bull Arena on October 23, 2024 in Leipzig Germany (Photo by Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty Images)

Gakpo has ultimate faith in the Liverpool squad around him (Image credit: Getty Images)

“This process, of course, started under Klopp,” the 25-year-old wrote. “Now, Slot is building on that foundation. He’s a very down-to-earth manager. Very calm, composed. You can talk to him about football, life, anything. He’s so good tactically, and I think we fit well in his system.

“If you look at our midfield – Curtis [Jones], Ryan [Gravenberch], Dominik [Szoboszlai], Wataru [Endo], [Harvey] Elliott, Alexis [Mac Allister] – they’re all complete midfielders.

How to watch PSV vs Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has taken the Premier League by storm in his debut season (Image credit: Getty Images)

“They can do it all: Run, win duels, and find each other between the lines. With Klopp we would more often play a long ball and then fight, but now that we’re playing with more patience, and shorter passes, you can fully see how much quality our midfield has.”

Looking inwardly, Gakpo puts his own strong performance – 14 goals and five assists in 32 appearances in all competitions – down to Slot’s use of him, reinstalling him back in his natural left-wing berth, having spent time across the front three under Klopp.

But it doesn’t all rest on the technical aspects of the squad; the Netherlands international was also keen to talk up the mental durability of the side, which has been building for years with the help of fellow countryman Virgil van Dijk.

Gakpo cast his mind back to March 2023, to that 7-0 demolition of arch-rivals Manchester United at Anfield, with Gakpo grabbing two himself. Surely a time to let yourself get a little carried away? Not with Van Dijk by your side.

Recalling the Liverpool captain’s words after the game, Gakpo wrote: “[Van Dijk] told us, ‘Now, we have to stay calm. Don’t go thinking we won 7-0, we’re the best team again. No. We were neutral before. We stay neutral’.

“Flash forward to today, and I think we have all the pieces. Now, we just stay calm, as Virgil would say. We stay neutral. But we don’t take our foot off the gas.”

Isaac Stacey Stronge
Freelance Writer

Isaac Stacey Stronge is a freelance football writer working for FourFourTwo, Manchester United and Football League World. He has been a season ticket holder at Stockport County throughout the Hatters’ meteoric rise from the National League North to League One and is a die-hard Paddy Madden fan.

Read more
Alexis Mac Allister of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Anfield on September 14, 2024 in Liverpool, England.
'Many of us at Liverpool expected a downfall when Jurgen Klopp left, like with Wenger, Ferguson and others. We didn’t expect to be where we are today - and that's largely thanks to Arne' Alexis Mac Allister explains his initial expectations of Arne Slot
Liverpool fans show their support with flags and banners prior to the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Ipswich Town FC at Anfield on January 25, 2025 in Liverpool, England
Arne Slot can win more than Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool but one thing needs to happen
Arne Slot head coach of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester City FC at Anfield on December 01, 2024 in Liverpool, England.
‘Slot hasn’t come in and changed everything, making it all about himself – it’s been about the players he’s inherited, getting the best out of a system he likes’: Liverpool manager impressing former players with personality and tactical approach
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 5: Arne Slot Manager of Liverpool congratulates Mohamed Salah of Liverpool after the 4-0 victory during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD4 match between Liverpool FC and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Anfield on November 5, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images)
‘The pure simplicity of the way Slot has managed the squad is probably the biggest thing I could say about him. It’s not broken, so let’s get on with it’: Liverpool legend full of admiration for Jurgen Klopp's successor at Anfield
Illustration of Arne Slot by Neil Jamieson, The Sporting Press
‘If Xabi Alonso had wanted the Liverpool job, Arne Slot might still be in Rotterdam' Respected writer and Liverpool fan Tony Evans provides the inside story of the quest to replace Jurgen Klopp and the shocking factor no one expected
Darwin Nunez of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield on March 08, 2025 in Liverpool, England.
Liverpool have already won one of 'three finals' - with two more to come
Latest in Premier League
LONDON COLNEY, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 30: (L-R) Ethan Nwaneri, Raheem Sterling, Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori and Takehiro Tomiyasu of Arsenal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD2 training and press conference at Sobha Realty Training Centre on September 30, 2024 in London Colney, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
England could lose Arsenal wonderkid to Nigerian national side due this little known reason
James Maddison of Tottenham Hotspur scores their 2nd goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC at Etihad Stadium on November 23, 2024 in Manchester, England.
Tottenham and Manchester City could smash transfer record for British wonderkid: report
Arsenal squad for 2024/25 LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 11: William Saliba of Arsenal celebrates scoring his teams first goal with teammates during the Pre-Season Friendly match between Arsenal FC and Olympique Lyonnais at Emirates Stadium on August 11, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Arsenal warned, as Real Madrid are coming for their star next: report
Newcastle United's Dan Burn battles with Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Anfield in Liverpool, England, on February 26, 2025.
I watch every football game on this TV - and it's been discounted by £210 in the Amazon Spring Deal Days
Dean Huijsen of AFC Bournemouth scores the opening goal during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Tottenham Hotspur FC at Vitality Stadium on December 05, 2024 in Bournemouth, England
Bournemouth star wanted by Real Madrid in statement summer deal: report
Rasmus Hojlund is struggling in front of goal
'I think obviously I’ve not been on top of my game as I wanted to. It’s not all about goals - I know I'm not the finished article, but I just want to keep going' Manchester United forward Rasmus Hojlund opens up on reason for recently-ended goal drought
Latest in Features
Orlando Pride players raise the trophy during the NWSL Championship game between Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit at CPKC Stadium on November 23, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.
How to watch NWSL: Live streams, TV information for National Women's Soccer League 2025
Premier League ball
Quiz! Can you name the players to have scored Premier League hat-tricks?
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola holds aloft the Premier League trophy at the Etihad in May 2023.
Quiz! Can you name every Premier League champion... in just 90 seconds?
Barcelona's Spanish midfielder Aitana Bonmati receives the Woman Ballon d'Or award during the 2024 Ballon d'Or France Football award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 28, 2024.
Who are the contenders for the Ballon d'Or Féminin?
 Sheila Garcia of Real Madrid CF battle for the ball with Alessia Russo of Arsenal FC during the UEFA Women's Champions League Quarter Finals First Leg match between Real Madrid CF and Arsenal FC at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on March 18, 2025 in Madrid, Spain.
'Over two legs I expected Arsenal to beat Real Madrid in the Champions League, I still think they can despite being 2-0 down,' says former Lioness Izzy Christiansen
Robert Lewandowski of FC Barcelona celebrates scoring his team's first goal with teammates Lamine Yamal and Gavi during the LaLiga match between Sevilla FC and FC Barcelona at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on February 09, 2025 in Seville, Spain.
Watch Barcelona vs Osasuna: Live streams, TV coverage for La Liga clash