"Quickly adapts to that level" - Ruud van Nistelrooy heaps praises on Liverpool man's performance against Real Madrid despite 5-2 loss

Cody Gakpo was handed a start for Liverpool in their marquee UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash against Real Madrid at Anfield on February 21. He put in a solid shift before being taken off after an hour, which pleased Dutch legend Ruud van Nistelrooy.

The young attacker moved from PSV Eindhoven to the Premier League outfit earlier this year, but it took him some time to find the back of the net. However, last week was a different story altogether, as Gakpo struck gold not once, but twice against Everton and Newcastle United. His impressive run of form saw him also perform remarkably against Real Madrid.

PSV gaffer Van Nistelrooy may have been pleased with Madrid's 5-2 win, as the former Galactico is one of the Bernabeu's highest goalscorers. However, the manager also kept an eye on his former player and was pleased with what Gakpo provided.

Speaking to De Telegraaf, Van Nistelrooy said:

“I thought Cody was strong. Just like all of Liverpool in the first twenty minutes. They were blowing away Real Madrid and Cody was strong. He had some great ball-holding moments, playing the ball to the side and moving well."

He added:

"Cody also had a number of transition moments after losing the ball, where he won the ball back and looked very sharp. But that was also the case against Newcastle United, when he scored his first goal, and in the derby against Everton. You can see that he quickly adapts to that level."

The coach went on to praise Real Madrid's overall performance on the night, also mentioning Karim Benzema, who scored a brace:

“The great gentlemen of Real finished it. I myself played with one in 2008. That is the last one that is still walking around on the fields."

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Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema inspire Real Madrid in comeback against Liverpool

Liverpool suffered a stunning setback in their Champions League first-leg clash against Real Madrid, losing 5-2 at Anfield despite a strong start. The Reds looked set to dominate the world champions, who defeated them in the final of the same competition in May, during a scorching opening period.

The Merseysiders took the lead within four minutes, courtesy of a well-placed Darwin Nunez flick. Mohamed Salah then capitalized on an error from Thibaut Courtois to double their advantage.

However, Vinicius Junior proved to be the Reds' undoing, scoring twice before half-time to erase their early lead.

Jurgen Klopp's men were unable to muster a response in the second half as Real Madrid continued to pile on the pressure. Two goals from Karim Benzema, coupled with another header from Eder Militao, condemned Liverpool to their most significant home defeat in Champions League history.

The Reds will need a herculean effort in the second leg to overturn the three-goal deficit and keep their European dreams alive. The second leg will take place at the Santiago Bernabeu on March 15.