Cody Gakpo admits he is in a "little bit of a difficult situation" after making a disappointing start to his Liverpool career.
Gakpo, 23, joined the Reds from PSV Eindhoven in a £45million deal at the beginning of January. The forward arrived with a promising reputation after scoring three goals at the World Cup in Qatar, helping the Netherlands reach the quarter-finals.
Yet Gakpo has failed to score or provide an assist during his first six Liverpool appearances. Moreover, the team have won just one of those six games - losing three times. Those results saw them exit the FA Cup and drop to 10th in the Premier League table, with Gakpo again struggling to make an impact in the 3-0 weekend loss at Wolves.
"It's always different when you come into a team that was maybe first and winning every game, but it's now in a little bit of a difficult situation," Gakpo told WALK ON, Liverpool's eMagazine. "So for me it is to come in and show what I can. If we were in first I have to do that and now we are in another place I have to do that also. I just try to show my best side.
"The coach [Jurgen Klopp] gave me a really warm welcome and I really appreciated it. We had a good conversation and now he is helping me to adapt as fast as possible in the team and to his style of playing.
"To do that I need to keep working hard and improving."
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Gakpo scored 21 goals last season for PSV and started this campaign well, finding the net 13 times and providing 17 assists. He also captained PSV in Luuk de Jong's absence, despite his age.
But he has struggled since arriving at Anfield, finding himself used by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp in a number of different attacking roles. The Dutchman has admitted that he prefers playing from the left, but is willing to play down the middle.
Versatility is something Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has prized in forwards previously, notably Sadio Mane, who spent much of his Kop career operating from the left, but was switched to a position down the middle in the second half of last season, helping the team win the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
As quoted by the Liverpool ECHO, Gakpo added: "At the moment for me, I like to play on the left wing because I played there for four years so that is what I am used to, but maybe I will develop better in another position and then play there.
"I played in the middle in the FA Cup at Wolves and against Chelsea. I like it. It's more in the centre of the goal. I'm not that used to it so I have to develop in that position.
"I don't know if I will end up there, but [former Netherlands manager] Louis van Gaal told me I will end up in the middle so maybe I will."
Gakpo has also admitted he is "eager to learn even more" under Klopp. He continued: "I want to play with and against the best players because this is only good for my game, to improve as a player."
Liverpool's next game is against local rivals Everton at Anfield on Monday, with a trip to Newcastle following five days later. The first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie against Real Madrid takes place at Anfield on February 21. Gakpo is eligible to play.
