Liverpool had to get physical with Brentford on Saturday, as the Reds kept their slim Champions League qualification hopes alive for another day.
And Jürgen Klopp once again kept his opponents guessing by deploying forward Cody Gakpo in a right-sided midfield role. The Dutchman has already demonstrated his versatility by playing as a central striker, left-sided forward and at the top of a diamond, but was asked to perform yet another position for the visit of the Bees.
It proved to be a physical encounter and although the Reds were able to match Thomas Frank's side in this aspect, the match saw Liverpool concede more fouls than it has done in any other match this season.
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Gakpo, 24, explained how his teammates were forced to walk something of a tightrope with referee Anthony Taylor, who was only too happy to blow his whistle at any opportunity throughout the match.
Speaking after the match (as per the ECHO), Gakpo said: "I enjoy playing, for sure, and wherever I can help the team the most. Sometimes it's a little bit deeper in the midfield and sometimes in the striker position. I just enjoy playing with my team-mates and especially when you win it's way more fun!
"It was really difficult because it looked like whenever we went for a duel we fouled them. That's a decision of the referee but it makes it really difficult to go into a challenge.
"We managed to pull through and when they got a set-piece we were really sharp and we didn't concede. That was good from our side. Job done, that was the most important thing. It was a tough game but we stuck together, worked really hard and pulled through. It was a massive win for us in a good period. The season is not over yet and we just have to stay focused and try to win the last three as well."
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In a season where Liverpool has struggled for any sort of consistency, Klopp's recent tinkering with formation and players positions has yielded six straight wins in the Premier League, somehow keeping top four ambitions intact, for now at least.
Demonstrating a meaner streak against Brentford shows that the Reds are prepared to find different solutions to win matches between now and the end of the season, even if Taylor's trigger-happy whistle-blowing painted a disproportionate picture of Liverpool's tactics. Klopp's side racked up 19 fouls on Saturday, but crucially kept a clean sheet in a bruising encounter.
This new edge has emerged at a potentially vital time. Klopp will wish it had surfaced a couple of games sooner, but Liverpool is at least keeping the pressure on when it comes to a Champions League finish.
Liverpool is now just a point behind fourth-placed Manchester United, who travel to West Ham United later today. Erik ten Hag's side have two games in hand on their North West rivals but have seen their seven-point advantage slashed in the past four days.
Liverpool.com says: There's more than one way to skin a cat, as they say, and Jürgen Klopp keeps offering up solutions that are getting Liverpool over the line in matches one way or the other. The Reds were embarrassed by Brentford in the reverse fixture earlier in the season, but showed here that they were prepared to mix it with the most physical of teams. Cody Gakpo's ability to adapt to different roles is a dream for Klopp and surefire way for the Dutchman to ensure his name is almost always on the team sheet going forward.
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Liverpool finds new edge at key time despite 'really difficult' Cody Gakpo referee admission - Liverpool.com
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