"I’m Not Focused on That" – Arne Slot Dismisses Concerns Over Cody Gakpo’s Goal Count Despite Impressive Season

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has played down Cody Gakpo’s goal-scoring form, insisting that he is not concerned with how many goals the Dutch forward scores this season. Gakpo netted his 16th goal of the season during Liverpool’s impressive 4-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup semi-final.

His goal helped Liverpool level the aggregate score before they eventually secured a place in the final against Newcastle United on March 16. With this latest strike, Gakpo has now matched his goal tally from last season, and only Mohamed Salah has scored more goals for the Reds this season.

Despite Gakpo’s impressive numbers, Slot made it clear that he is not focusing on individual goal numbers. When asked whether the Dutch forward could reach 25 goals this season, the Liverpool boss admitted he had no idea.

“I have no clue,” Slot said. “I don’t really count how many goals a player scores. What matters to me is the effort they put in, how well they help build play from the back, and how hard they work for the team.”

He emphasized the importance of teamwork in Liverpool’s attacking play, pointing out how their full-back Conor Bradley’s effort led to one of the goals against Tottenham.

“If you look at the third goal, Conor Bradley sprinted across the pitch to assist Dominik [Szoboszlai]. That work is just as important as the person who scores.”

While Slot admitted that Gakpo is having a “special” season, he insisted that the forward’s performances are not a surprise. He reminded reporters that Gakpo also impressed in the second half of last season and performed well for the Netherlands during the Euros.

“Cody is having a great season, but he was also fantastic in the second half of last season and during the Euros for Holland,” Slot said. “This kind of success doesn’t just happen. He has been performing at this level before.”

Additionally, Slot made it clear that Liverpool’s ability to score goals is not entirely dependent on one player. Players like Federico Chiesa, Darwin Núñez, Diogo Jota, and Luis Díaz can all score goals, he said, praising the team’s attacking options.

“If it’s Cody, Lucho, Diogo, Darwin, Mo, or Federico, they can all score goals. The key is making sure they get into goal-scoring positions regularly, and that requires a lot of movement and hard work.”

Gakpo’s performances have been important to Liverpool this season, and his goal against Tottenham was another reminder of his increasing importance in the squad. With the Reds now in the League Cup final, he will be looking to continue his excellent form as they chase the trophy.

Despite Slot’s relaxed attitude toward goal individual tallies, Liverpool fans will be excited to see how many more goals Gakpo can add to his name before the season ends.