Cody Gakpo had his best performance in a Liverpool shirt as he scored twice in a historic victory over Manchester United and Ibou Konate ensured that he was rewarded with the reception he deserved from the Anfield crowd.
As Jurgen Klopp made a quadruple substitution in the 79th minute and Jordan Henderson, Darwin Nunez and Fabinho left the pitch, our French defender was quick to hold back our No.18.
This meant that the Dutchman was the final change and that he could receive a huge cheer and applause, something which didn’t occur during his departure in the Merseyside Derby as the forward exited whilst our captain was receiving his appreciation from the supporters.
Whether this was also spotted by our No.5, it’s not clear, but it’s obvious that he knew that his performance against Erik ten Hag’s team deserved to be recognised and it certainly was!
Compare that to the Derby when he was robbed of a big cheer because he was too humble and snook off whilst the crowd was applauding Hendo 🔴 #LFC pic.twitter.com/VWK0z6nKZf
— Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) March 6, 2023
A lot of fans would be very happy- BBC man reacts after seeing who could join Liverpool
Alan Hutton, a former player in the Premier League and BBC pundit, has offered his opinion on the likelihood that Liverpool would make a summer transfer approach for RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.
Earlier this month, it was reported that the Reds are interested in signing the defender, who would apparently be keen on the move due to him being a boyhood Liverpool fan.
This has led to one pundit sharing his views on the matter and what it could mean for the Reds if they were to land his signature.
Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton had this to say about Gvardiol and a potential summer move to Anfield.
He said: “I think he is an excellent player. We are talking about a lot of money, left-sided, great range of passing, he is physical, he is a good size. Him playing up with a Virgil van Dijk who is fully fit, I think a lot of fans would be very happy with that.
“It is going to cost a lot of money and whether they are willing to spend that on a centre-half we will soon find out.
“We are talking £80-plus million for him. But I think it is well worth it. He is only 21, it is crazy to think that he is playing at that level at such a young age and taking it all in his stride. So I think that would be an excellent signing.”
With 75 appearances to his name for Leipzig, the centre-back has scored four goals and delivered four assists in addition to his defensive input.
One of those goals came against Manchester City in their Champions League round of 16 clash last month, showing the experience he has of coming up against Premier League opposition.
Do you want Josko Gvardiol to join Liverpool this summer?
In terms of his efforts in the Bundesliga this season, as well as having one of the highest passing accuracy percentages at Leipzig, he also has the second-highest totals of passes into the final third of the pitch (85).
In addition to that, the Croatian also has the second-highest total of clearances (57) at the German club and third-highest for interceptions (23), showcasing his ability off the ball as well as on it.
Bearing in mind how Liverpool have dropped points on 13 occasions this season in the Premier League prior to Sunday’s match against Manchester United, it could be said that they could do with some defensive reinforcements arriving at Anfield this summer.
Also, with Virgil van Dijk (31) and Joel Matip (31) being two of Jurgen Klopp’s oldest squad members, perhaps securing a deal for the 21-year-old Leipzig star could be just what they need in terms of a potential long-term replacement for either of their current centre-backs.