Slot must be on the bench Liverpool star who has lost the ball 17x

Liverpool strengthened their chances of a top-four finish in the Premier League this afternoon, after a 5-2 win over West Ham United at Anfield.

Arne Slot’s men boasted a three-goal lead at the break, after goals from Hugo Ekitiké, Virgil Van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister all but ensured victory for the Reds.

A second-half strike from Cody Gakpo and a goal from Axel Disasi put Merseyside ahead of the game, moving the team back to fifth place.

However, the goals of Tati Castellanos and Tomas Soucek gave Slot’s side many times nerves, but the Reds’ attacking quality was able to shine through.

Despite another player scoring in the win this afternoon, he struggled again, which has led him to question his future.

The stats behind Gakpo’s struggle against West Ham

For the first time in eight games, defender Gakpo managed to get on the score sheet, but he still struggled to perform well throughout his 90-minute appearances.

The Dutchman’s strike gave the Reds a three-goal lead again at Anfield, but it was to mask his poor display against a side in the relegation zone.

He was involved in 11 tackles during this afternoon’s 5-2 win, but was sent off in nine of them – the highest of any player on the pitch.

Gakpo could easily have added a second goal to his tally, but his miss from just four yards summed up his recent failure on Merseyside.

He also failed to complete the dribbling he was trying to do, while he couldn’t even find his teammates with his crosses – further highlighting his struggles in attacking areas.

The Dutchman managed to put out another letter of complaint in the second half, with the striker lucky to avoid a second yellow card after registering three fouls.

The Liverpool star is becoming a bigger problem than Gakpo

Given the difficulties of the past few weeks, Gakpo was a player under a lot of pressure, especially given the star youngster Rio Ngumoha at Anfield.

The 17-year-old had to spend a few minutes on the bench, much to the dismay of his fans – especially after he came off against Nottingham Forest.

However, the youngster will have to continue to bide his time on Merseyside, as Slot seems to be opting for the likes of Gakpo ahead of him at the moment.

The Dutchman is not the only player struggling to deliver despite the continued faith shown in him, with fellow winger Mohamed Salah another star who has fallen short of expectations.

The Egyptian has been a key part of Liverpool’s success in recent seasons, but age seems to have caught up with the 33-year-old.

He has now gone 11 games without scoring in the Premier League, and the striker is no longer the force to be reckoned with – as he was years ago at Anfield.

Salah’s performance against West Ham was another example of his lack of form, and his lack of form is now a bigger problem than Gakpo’s.

He lost possession an incredible 17 times in the win against the Hammers, the most of any Reds player, highlighting his lack of quality in the final third.

The midfielder also failed to complete the dribbles he tried, when he found his teammate with 11% crosses and put them in the box.

Salah also lost 100% of the aerial battles he was involved in, while registering just one shot on goal – no doubt the striker was struggling to provide the goods as usual.

The Egyptian has been a huge part of Liverpool’s success in recent years, but ultimately, it is time for the player to move on to allow the next generation to flourish.

The club’s big spending spree in the summer has solved many problems in the squad, but it is clear that the club needs more strengthening in many areas.

It is very sad to see the winger’s decline given his previous levels, as he and Gakpo are in dire need of replacements in the near future.

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