Cody Gakpo eyeing Liverpool milestone ahead of West Ham United clash
Liverpool head into the weekend with three points in the bag, though not much else to boast about from their 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest. Alexis Mac Allister’s 97th minute strike spared blushes and kept Arne Slot’s side moving in the right direction, even if the performance left plenty to be desired.
Now, attention turns to Anfield and the visit of West Ham United, a fixture that carries significance in more ways than one. For Cody Gakpo, it is another opportunity to edge closer to a personal milestone that quietly underlines his growing importance at Liverpool.
Gakpo Nears 50 Goals for Liverpool
Milestones matter at a club like Liverpool. They are markers of consistency, resilience and contribution. Gakpo stands on 48 goals and is well aware of what comes next.
“I need two more, yes! It’s always nice to reach certain amounts and I think 50 goals is an amount that counts in some way, so yeah, that would be nice.”
There is no chest beating, no grand proclamations. Just quiet acknowledgement. Yet approaching 50 goals for Liverpool is no small feat. For a forward who has often operated across multiple positions, adapting to tactical tweaks under Slot, it speaks volumes.
In a season that has fluctuated, Gakpo’s output has provided a steady thread. Reaching 50 would place him in notable company and reinforce his standing within the side.
Season Reflections Under Arne Slot
This campaign has tested Liverpool in ways last season did not. Gakpo did not shy away from that reality.
“No, exactly. Those are the right words. It’s not an easy season for the team. We were too inconsistent at times; to play one good game and then the level dropped significantly the next game. But I think the last few weeks were better performance-wise and result-wise, if you exclude the last game as a performance. I hope we can keep this momentum that we have a little bit with keeping clean sheets and winning the games – and to also perform better – to end the season in a good flow and then at the end of the season we can really assess how everything went.”
It is a candid assessment. Liverpool have lost only twice in their last 20 league matches since beating West Ham United away in November, yet performances have not always convinced. Clean sheets have become a recent foundation, though fluency in attack has come and gone.
Gakpo’s measured tone reflects a squad conscious of standards set during last season’s title win.
Anfield Focus Before West Ham United Test
Home form, once a given, has required renewed attention. Gakpo addressed that head on.
“Yeah, it’s always very important to have a very strong home front. It was for so many years, it was very difficult to come to Anfield and even take a point. I experienced that when I first came, we didn’t lose that much games at home as we did this season, but it’s up to us as a team to build that confidence again for the stadium and also that teams that come there don’t have the confidence they have. We just have to start winning all the games again at Anfield.”
West Ham United arrive knowing Liverpool’s aura at Anfield has flickered at times. Reasserting dominance on home soil would serve both practical and psychological purposes.
For Gakpo, two goals would bring a tidy statistical landmark. For Liverpool, three points would sustain momentum in pursuit of Champions League qualification and silverware in Europe and the FA Cup.
Personal milestones and collective ambition often intertwine. On Saturday, against West Ham United, both are very much in play.
