Arne Slot ruined the title dreams of Liverpool player who tormented him four times

Cody Gakpo is perhaps more familiar with his soon-to-be new manager, Arne Slot, than any of his Liverpool teammates.

The Dutchman became the latest Red to speak about the Feyenoord boss after scoring in Liverpool’s 4-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Speaking to Viaplay, he admitted he was ‘very curious’ about the prospect of his compatriot replacing Jurgen Klopp in the Anfield dugout, as he recalled the ‘often difficult games’ he played against Slot’s Feyenoord side from his own time in the Eredivisie.

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Virgil van Dijk once crossed paths with Slot when his compatriot was still a player for PEC Zwolle and he was still on the books of FC Groningen, while Ryan Gravenberch twice faced off against his Feyenoord side during his final season with Ajax. Meanwhile, the incoming Reds boss was assistant manager at AZ Alkmaar when he twice clashed with a Willem II side containing an on-loan Kostas Tsimikas.

Yet it is Gakpo who boasts the most experience against Slot’s side after enjoying a breakthrough season with PSV Eindhoven in 2018/19.

Discounting two meetings with AZ in 2018/19 when Slot was still assistant manager, the Liverpool forward locked horns with his would-be boss four times between October 2019 and September 2022 - losing twice, drawing once, and winning their final meeting.

Registering three goals and three assists from such outings, the now 25-year-old certainly impressed individually against Slot’s sides. However, his would-be manager boasts the upper-hand with such results proving costly to Gakpo in more ways