Jamie Carragher's warning about Bradley Barcola only landed because Cody Gakpo backed it up at Portman Road. Liverpool beat Ipswich 2-0 in the Ipswich vs Liverpool game, and Gakpo supplied two assists for Alexander Isak while posting an 8.6 rating.
Carragher's line was straightforward enough. Speaking to goal.com, he said: "Barcola is going to struggle to get a game with this version of Gakpo."
Gakpo's night at Portman Road
The performance itself did the heavy lifting. Gakpo created both goals for Isak, and the quality of the supply matched the eye test, not just the scoreline.
The rating matters because it sits alongside the creative output, not instead of it. Gakpo has 1 Premier League goal in 2026, so this was a night built around chance creation rather than finishing.
Carragher's warning and Liverpool's selection fight
Carragher's point is getting louder because Gakpo is giving Liverpool a real reason to keep him on the left side of the attack. Liverpool have not been short of attacking noise this summer, but the Dutchman is producing what counts.
He also did it in a game that Liverpool needed to settle. The 2-0 win over Ipswich was a cleaner answer than any transfer talk, and Isak's start helped make the night look even stronger. Isak has 3 Premier League goals in 2026, all in only 3 league appearances.
Jamie Carragher's view will not decide the pecking order by itself, but Gakpo's display gives it weight. The next league match will tell us more about how much room there is for Bradley Barcola, but Portman Road left Gakpo firmly in front of the conversation.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →
