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Liverpool legend praises forward for performance in Man United defeat
Cody Gakpo Emerges as Liverpool Bright Spot Despite Man Utd Setback
Defeat away to Manchester United has become an uncomfortable rhythm for Liverpool this season, yet within the wreckage there are flickers of intent that demand attention. Chief among them is Cody Gakpo, who delivered a performance that hinted at sharper instincts and renewed authority in the attacking third. solvita.blog
Liverpool were ragged before the interval, passive in midfield and exposed defensively. Two goals down at the break felt a fair reflection of their disjointed display. Yet the second half carried a different cadence. Gakpo, initially stationed wide, drifted into more central territory, where the game began to open around him.
His movement became less predictable, his involvement more assertive. It was from this repositioning that he found the net, ending a barren run and lifting Liverpool’s attacking tempo. The goal itself was a product of anticipation and timing, qualities that have not always been consistently evident in his campaign.
For a side chasing European qualification, such signs matter. Gakpo’s ability to occupy defenders and link play offers a structural alternative, particularly when Liverpool’s forward line lacks cohesion.
Photo: IMAGO
Phil Thompson verdict highlights improvement
Former Liverpool captain Phil Thompson, on the official Liverpool podcast, was quick to underline Gakpo’s contribution, offering a measured but pointed assessment in quotes carried by the original source.
“I thought he played well today,” Thompson said. “I thought he really stepped up. He was very, very clever in his movement, he was dropping off Maguire and the other centre-back, getting them turning, linking up a lot.”
That observation cuts to the core of Gakpo’s performance. Rather than remaining static or predictable, he manipulated space, drawing defenders into uncomfortable positions. His interplay with midfield runners added layers to Liverpool’s attacking patterns, even if the collective outcome fell short.
Thompson also addressed a broader critique of the Dutch forward’s style. “People think he’s a one-trick pony coming inside all the time. I would like him to go on the outside sometimes… it confuses the full-back.”
It is a tactical nuance worth noting. Gakpo’s inclination to cut inside has been scouted and managed by Premier League defenders. Variation, as Thompson suggests, could elevate his effectiveness and widen Liverpool’s attacking toolkit.
Salah presence contrasts with Gakpo resurgence
In contrast, the influence of Mohamed Salah remains a constant reference point. Salah’s output continues to anchor Liverpool’s attacking identity, yet performances like this highlight the need for complementary threats.
Where Salah operates with established rhythm and elite efficiency, Gakpo is still refining his role. Against Man Utd, the balance briefly looked more coherent when Gakpo assumed central responsibilities, allowing Salah to stretch play and occupy wider channels.
This interplay, if developed, could restore some of Liverpool’s attacking fluidity. The modern game demands multiple focal points, not a single axis of threat. Gakpo’s resurgence offers a route towards that evolution.
However, the broader context cannot be ignored. Liverpool’s inconsistency this season has left them vulnerable, and isolated individual performances, no matter how encouraging, cannot mask systemic issues.
Champions League chase demands consistency
With the race for Champions League qualification tightening, Liverpool require sustained output rather than sporadic flashes. Gakpo’s goal against Man Utd took him to nine for the season and 50 in a Liverpool shirt, a respectable tally that hints at underlying productivity.
Yet the margin for error is narrowing. Upcoming fixtures will test both tactical coherence and mental resilience. If Gakpo can replicate this level of involvement and diversify his attacking approach, he may yet become central to Liverpool’s late-season push.
The original source frames his display as a turning point rather than an isolated moment. That distinction is critical. In elite football, progression is measured not by singular performances but by the ability to reproduce them under pressure.
Liverpool’s defeat will dominate the immediate narrative, but within it lies a subplot of adaptation and potential. Gakpo, stepping forward when required, may yet reshape the closing chapter of their campaign.
Man Utd ‘interested’ in West Ham star as midfield rebuild begins
Man Utd are reportedly interested in signing West Ham United star Mateus Fernandes in the summer transfer window.
The midfielder has been one of the Hammers’ few bright sparks in a poor campaign that could end in relegation.
Relegation from the Premier League could spark a fire sale at the end of the season and several top-flight clubs will be looking to snap up the 21-year-old.
Man Utd ‘interested’ in West Ham star Mateus Fernandes
According to The Telegraph, United have been “watching Fernandes closely” this season, with their scouting of the player “intensifying” in recent weeks.
The Portugal international is “expected” to leave West Ham this summer if they go down, but the club “want him to stay”.
United “decided against making a move” for him last year when Southampton were relegated, allowing West Ham to buy him for an initial £38 million (plus £4m in add-ons).
The east London outfit may struggle to hold onto Fernandes even if they stay up this term, with the midfielder “being discussed by a number of clubs”.
Read – Michael Carrick makes admission over Man Utd future
Fernandes is on Man Utd’s list of transfer targets as they look to rebuild their midfield. Casemiro is set to leave and the club reportedly want to offload Manuel Ugarte, who has failed to make an impact since his £42m move from PSG in 2024.
Football journalist Samuel Luckhurst reports that United are looking to sign three new midfielders this summer as part of this effort, with the Mail claiming they are looking to spend as much as £150m on the position.
The Red Devils have been linked with a host of midfielders, including Elliott Anderson, Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleba, Aurelien Tchouameni and Sandro Tonali.
Read – Bruno Fernandes reveals why he stayed at Man Utd
See Also – Man United vs Liverpool Combined XI
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Packers OC says Jordan Morgan 'ready' for left tackle, clarifies roles
The offensive line was an unexpected Achilles heel for the Green Bay Packers in 2025, as a group that had been a pillar of consistency for a decade plus endured a rocky season.
It was a combination of new faces being inserted into the lineup – whether it was a highly paid vet like Aaron Banks or inexperienced players like Jordan Morgan and Anthony Belton – and a constant game of musical chairs, mostly caused by injuries, that led to a subpar year for the O-line.
The issues Green Bay had up front showed up in their inability to slam the door shut when holding close leads late in games, particularly in the playoff loss to Chicago.
After an offseason of change, with Rasheed Walker and Elgton Jenkins moving on and Jager Burton added via the draft, the roles seem more defined in the offensive line room entering 2026.
Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich discussed the O-line at length when meeting with the media on Monday and confirmed some suspicions about how the starting five is expected to look this year.
Morgan is expected to move over to left tackle, which is where he played in college and a position he performed well in spot duty at the end of 2025, having previously filled in at guard during his first two years in the NFL.
On the move to left tackle, Stenavich said: “I’m excited about him being over there. I thought last year he showed flashes of being able to be a good left tackle in this league when we had him out there.
“Last year, Rasheed (Walker) was out for a little while in preseason, so we moved Jordan to left tackle and he did a great job. He played in preseason against some pretty good defensive linemen from the Colts, and I saw him play and I was like: ‘Yeah he’s ready’.
“We had to use him in other spots last year because that's what was best for the team but I’m excited for him this year and what he's gonna do."
Based on what we have heard from not only Stenavich but also head coach Matt LaFleur, it sounds very much like Morgan essentially beat out Walker for the left tackle job last year, but had to be moved because of injuries, with Walker more of a one-position player.
Now entering the season knowing he will be the left tackle, and with two years of NFL experience under his belt, it is sink or swim time.
Sean Rhyan settled into a new role in 2025, taking over from Jenkins at center and showing enough to earn a long-term contract extension. Stenavich praised Rhyan for his ability to take on that role midseason.
He said: “When we lost Elgton (Jenkins), he stepped up and just kind of took control of it. There were mistakes for sure, but as we progressed through the season, he just kept getting better and better and better, and I thought this was probably his best position."
Having played both guard spots in his four years with the team and never truly nailing down a starting role, it seems Rhyan may have finally found his home.
Outlets like PFF did not grade Rhyan’s performance at the pivot highly, but with a full offseason to prepare to play there and nine games of reps at the position, the Packers are banking on him developing entering his age-26 season, and it would be a real boost if he can take that step.
Green Bay did add a potential high-end backup at center, and maybe even long-term successor in Jager Burton, whom they picked in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He has some impressive tape, measurables and athletic testing, and seems to have made an impression on Stenavich.
On Burton, he said: “He’s really athletic, that was the cool thing going through watching him. He’s got a lot of really good traits to be a center in the NFL. Really strong kid, he plays with a lot of strength, good base, so I’m excited about him.
“He has a lot of really good qualities that you’re looking for in an offensive lineman in the NFL."
Stenavich confirmed Burton will rep at both center and guard in training camp, but admitted right now center is probably his best position. Green Bay loves to cross-train their offensive linemen to give them options when injuries hit, and it sounds like that philosophy will continue.
Anthony Belton saw the field as a rookie after being picked in the second round, mostly at guard, a position he never played in college. While his performances were a bit rocky and not without mental errors, he showed the power and the tools that attracted him to the Packers.
He is expected to be the starting right guard in 2026, and Stenavich believes being able to focus on playing on the interior will be beneficial for Belton.
Stenavich said: “We were just having him play swing tackle, then all of a sudden we lost a bunch of guys and it’s like: ‘Hey bud, you’ve gotta go in and play guard’. He went out there against Detroit and that was really the first week he’d ever played guard for us.
“Credit to him for going out there and doing it, and playing pretty well. But I think now, just focusing on the little fundamentals, the little details, we can teach him all that stuff from a guard perspective. I think that’ll be really good for him and his development."
He said that although Belton will mostly focus on guard, the Packers will continue to work him as well as other players at tackle just to keep them familiar with it, in case they are ever needed there.
Injuries were a huge part of the issues Green Bay had last year, with Zach Tom, Aaron Banks and Elgton Jenkins all either missing significant time, playing hurt, or both. Players getting healthy and less uncertainty over who will be playing where should help considerably.
Asked about having the line more solidified in 2026, Stenavich said: “That’s gonna be huge, no doubt about it, having those guys playing together in those positions, but you always have to be ready for the unknown. If that guy's out, the next guy’s gotta step up."
On what the Packers need to do better up front this year, he said: “Our execution. I thought we were inconsistent with our execution for sure, and I just wanna see us play with that physicality, that toughness that really defines who we are as Packer offensive linemen every game."
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers OC says Jordan Morgan 'ready' for left tackle, clarifies roles