Forget Nunez: nobody talks about the 50-touch demon Liverpool's incredible performance against Leipzig

Liverpool took the lion's share of points from the Red Bull Arena and took first place in the Champions League table.

A 1-0 away win now means the Reds have taken nine out of nine European points, breaking two records in the process.

Even if the visitors were not at their best during the 90 minutes, Arne Slot's opening record of 11 wins in 12 games is undoubtedly remarkable.

The Dutchman's winning streak is sure to be further tested with a clash with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

What do the statistics say about Cody Gakpo's performance in Leipzig?

It's fair to say that the stats have been very kind to Cody Gakpo – and not without reason!

The Dutch international was in sensational form against The Red Bulls. He made four key passes (29/34 passes), created two big chances and completed 5/8 tackles on the ground. And all in the 50 touches made that evening.

Sofa score gave the former PSV star a score of 7.8/10 on the night, which feels a bit low.

We can see Caoimhin Kelleher securing the MOTM award for his near-flawless performance between the sticks for Liverpool. That means if anyone from the outfield is allowed to receive the award, Gakpo could fairly claim he has done enough in Europe. Although fans were treated to a relentless performance from Darwin Nunez.

Will Cody Gakpo start against Arsenal?

Consider this possibility highly unlikely, despite another promising outing in the forward line.

Simply put, the left wing is Luis Diaz's domain until the Colombian starts making constant mistakes. Or, God forbid Liverpool fans, until the footballer suffers an injury.

This is no small feat for the Dutch international, who is otherwise coming off a strong 2024/25 season.

According to statistics, Cody Gakpo was our third strongest player in the Champions League Sofa score. On this basis, it is fair to assume that he will continue to be a preferred choice for Slot in Europe – at least until Real Madrid come knocking at Anfield at the end of November.

Be that as it may, he cannot be considered a credible option either in the starting XI or on the bench if he maintains these performances.

Still, it's hard not to feel a little pity for the 25-year-old. Especially considering how limited his playing time was otherwise.