Liverpool attacker Cody Gakpo could join an exclusive club of Dutch players when the Reds host Ipswich Town in Saturday's Premier League encounter.
The former PSV Eindhoven man was an unused substitute in Tuesday's 2-1 Champions League victory over Lille, but he is expected to come straight back into the first XI for the visit of the Tractor Boys.
After a largely indifferent start to his Liverpool career, Gakpo is starting to make a name for himself under Arne Slot, registering 12 goals and four assists from 31 appearances in all competitions this season.
Home is often where the heart is for the Netherlands international, who has struck nine of his 12 efforts this season in front of the Anfield faithful and has goals in each of his last four Premier League home matches.
Since the start of December, Gakpo has made the net bulge at home to Manchester City, Fulham, Leicester City and Manchester United, and he could now become just the third Dutchman to score in five successive Premier League home matches.
Gakpo out to match Ruud van Nistelrooy, Robin van Persie feat
© Imago
The only two previous Netherlands players to achieve that feat were Ruud van Nistelrooy and Robin van Persie, the former of whom did so while on the books at Manchester United.
Spanning the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons, Van Nistelrooy scored in five straight Old Trafford games against Fulham, Blackburn Rovers, Charlton Athletic, Bolton Wanderers and coincidentally Liverpool, notching a brace in a 4-0 win.
Almost 10 years later, Van Persie managed that same feat during his final year at Arsenal in the 2011-12 season, before repeating that trick in Manchester United colours in the 2012-13 campaign.
The visit of Ipswich undeniably represents a prime chance for Gakpo to join that elite crowd given that the Reds are the highest scorers in the division with 50 efforts, and Ipswich's 45.8 Expected Goals (xG) against is only better than Southampton's 52.6.
Liverpool are also searching for their 11th straight Premier League home win over a newly-promoted club, although Gakpo was only a late substitute in the 2-0 success over the Tractor Boys in the first weekend of the season.
Liverpool to be without three players against Ipswich
© Imago
On that occasion, Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah produced the goods for the league leaders, but the former is now absent with a muscular problem, all but guaranteeing a start for Gakpo on Saturday.
In addition, Slot confirmed at his pre-game press conference that Curtis Jones would also miss the visit of Ipswich, having come off at half time with a knock in the beating of Lille.
"He went out during half-time, so that's mostly not a good sign, and it wasn't because he will not be available for the game tomorrow," Slot told reporters. "The rest we have to wait and see how long it's going to take. I'm not expecting months... but let's see if he's available for PSV or Bournemouth."
Liverpool's third and final absentee for gameweek 23 will be Joe Gomez, who is yet to earn any minutes in 2025 due to a hamstring problem, but Ibrahima Konate has been cleared to play in spite of the need to manage his minutes.
Slot's side hold a six-point advantage over Arsenal and Nottingham Forest at the Premier League summit with a game in hand on both clubs.
Ben Knapton
