Dutch national media name which Liverpool player 'struggled' for them against Lithuania last night
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The international break is drawing to a close and some Liverpool players have done better than others.
The Reds made it three wins from three in the Premier League before their players went off on international duty, with this pause probably coming at a good time.
Performances were not the best so a small reset might be required, while the players will want to prove themselves further on the biggest of stages.
These games are not just friendlies either, with a place at the 2026 World Cup on the line, stars will be eager to shine and lead their country to glory.
Due to having so many Dutch players in the first-team squad, the Netherlands are always a team to watch for Liverpool supporters over the break, especially as some of their best will be on display.
However, during their 3-2 win over Lithuania, one fared rather well, while the other had far from his best game, something the Dutch media were quick to point out.
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So far this season, two of the most important players for them have definitely been Cody Gakpo and captain Virgil van Dijk, both for very different reasons.
Gakpo has been a constant threat in attack and both scored and created goals, while van Dijk has done his best to steady a disorganised defence.
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The national team is where they also both tend to shine, but on Sunday evening, they were both given very different ratings by the Dutch media.
De Telegraaf were quick to praise the Liverpool winger, giving him a rating of 7/10 and labelling him “once again the best player,” and this is despite Memphis Depay netting a brace.
They reported that he was ‘the solution’ even if they were double-marking him, with Gakpo grabbing an assist and almost scoring if it were not for the crossbar.
As for van Dijk, they gave 6.5, which is not far off Gakpo’s rating but they admitted to being generous with their scoring.
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The 34-year-old “didn’t do anything spectacular” and “was lucky” that his error did not lead to a goal, with other Dutch newspapers also agreeing.
Algemeen Dagblad gave the captain a rating of just 5/10, saying how he was almost the reason they let a two goal lead slip away.
As for Football Oranje.com, they said he ‘struggled’ quite a lot throughout the game and that it was “not his finest evening.”
The biggest danger was said to be coming from Gakpo however, and he was the “biggest threat” showing the juxtaposition of both their evenings.
At the start of the season, question marks were raised over whether Liverpool need to replace Luis Diaz, but Gakpo has proven they are absolutely fine.
The Dutchman has been one of Liverpool’s best attackers so far and looks undroppable, even if many players could move out to the left instead.
The fact he almost always shines for his country is also another indication of how good he really is, suggesting with consistent game time, he can become just as valuable to the Reds.
Barring any injuries, it would be a real surprise to see the winger lose his starting position at any point throughout the campaign, indicating that he might be ready to become one of Liverpool’s most integral players.