Liverpool have a NEW left-winger to replace Cody Gakpo | OneFootball

Liverpool currently have Cody Gakpo and Rio Ngumoha playing from the left side of the pitch and while the pair of them have started well this season, Arne Slot might try someone new in the role.

The joy of the Reds' current squad is players' adaptability to benefit the team as a whole.

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New midfield signing Florian Wirtz was given an opportunity down the left against Crystal Palace so that the Slot was able to field Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch in a trio.

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Moving forward, however, it appears as though Liverpool have an under-utilised asset who could make a difference on the wing, rather than sitting on the bench and making cameo appearances.

Chiesa can be the NEW Gakpo

Of course, it should go without saying, that Gakpo is the first-choice left-winger. He's the most experienced in that department and his record is exemplary. No one is about to get in his way.

Although we do need more options to consider when the Dutchman is unavailable. In Saturday's contest, Gakpo was deemed unfit to start, despite having the entire week off to physically prepare.

Slot had attempted to deploy a 4-2-2-2 system, which might have meant that Gakpo was surplus to requirements. He was substituted on at half time and he made a noticeable difference to the side.

But in that instance Liverpool could've used Federico Chiesa instead, who currently has better form.

In just 153 minutes spent on the pitch, the Italian has two goals and two assists to his name. He's already outperformed last season's efforts and he'll be hoping to kick on even more this campaign.

Throughout this career, Chiesa has been utilised in a number of positions. As we all know, he's a right-winger by trade, but with Mohamed Salah constantly in his way, we could see him swap sides.

Across 67 career games at left-wing, he has 12 goals and 13 thirteen assists, with a mini cameo on that side coming against Southampton last Tuesday, where he created Hugo Ekitike's winning goal.

Furthermore, his highest average goals and assists per 90 are when he's on the left-side, at 0.56 compared to 0.38 at right-wing and 0.47 as an attacking midfield/second striker (per Wyscout). Of his 718 career minutes at Liverpool, he's only been deployed down the left channel for 150 minutes.

Whenever an opportunity arises for him to play at right-wing, he'll surely be jumping at the chance. After all, that's the position he's spent most of his career playing at. He's a rotation option with Salah.

But this isn't to say he should be limited to just there. If he's more prolific down the left, when why not give him a go? Especially since he's in a fine vein of form now that his fitness concerns are gone.