There is a lot of pace in Jurgen Klopp‘s current Liverpool side, but Cody Gakpo has revealed the fastest player in the squad based on in-house statistics.
It may come as a surprise, but it’s neither Darwin Nunez or Mohamed Salah.
Nor is it Virgil van Dijk or Ibrahima Konate, despite centre-backs often recording the highest sprint speeds.
In a quickfire interview as part of the buildup to the Carabao Cup final, Gakpo joined Curtis Jones for a series of questions on the Liverpool squad.
When asked about the fastest player, Gakpo replied: “I just hit [my] top speed the other day, new record.
“So I’m now in the top four of the team – just wanted to add that on. Fastest, Lucho.”
Watch @curtisjr_10 and Cody Gakpo agree/disagree as they try to build the perfect player from their @LFC teammates! ??#EFL | #CarabaoCup pic.twitter.com/CqwhUbz1dd
— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup) February 13, 2024
Jones, shocked, responded: “What about Darwin?!”
“The numbers don’t lie bro!” was Gakpo’s response, with the midfielder adamant it is Nunez. “OK, Darwin is really fast, obviously, but the numbers don’t lie!”
It appears as though, statistically, Luis Diaz is the fastest player in the Liverpool squad – despite suggestions that the Colombian has lost a step since his injury.
Diaz’s game has certainly changed after returning from two serious knee injuries back to back, but he is in the middle of an impressive campaign nonetheless.
In 32 games so far, of which 24 came as a starter, the winger has scored nine goals and laid on three assists, which has come during a season interrupted by the kidnapping of his parents.
Elsewhere in their interview, Gakpo and Jones picked Salah as having the strongest mentality, Trent Alexander-Arnold with the best vision and right foot, and Kostas Tsimikas with the best left foot.
“Kostas is amazing,” the pair agreed.
Salah could argue his case for the best left foot in the squad, surely!
Fan Comments