Cody Gakpo back to his best?! Liverpool star shines in left-wing role as Netherlands thump Scotland 4-0 in impressive Euro 2024 warm-up outing

The Netherlands were impressive in their Euro 2024 warm-up outing on Friday night, thumping Scotland in comfortable fashion, with Cody Gakpo particularly impressive.

After the visitors started brightly and nearly opened the scoring through Ryan Christie's header, only for goalkeeper Mark Flekken to tip his effort onto the bar, the hosts took the lead in stunning fashion through Tijjani Reijnders' near 25-yard strike in the 40th minute.

In an end to end game, Memphis Depay was superbly denied by Angus Gunn in the Scotland goal just after the interval, before Flekken tipped away a John McGinn piledriver moments later.

After Gunn was at full stretch to keep out Cody Gakpo's rasping drive, the Scots should have equalised through Lawrence Shankland, but he could only hit the bar when clean through on goal.

Shortly after, the Dutch, who were not at their free-flowing best for long periods, put the game beyond doubt when Georginio Wijnaldum headed in Gakpo's sumptuous cross in the 72nd minute to make it 2-0.

Wout Weghorst looked to have opened the flood gates when he guided a header into the corner after Scott McTominay misjudged his jump in the 84th minute and then just over 90 seconds later Donyell Malen stabbed home to complete the rout on Friday night.

Gakpo has been criticised in recent weeks for his Liverpool performances but it could be argued the Dutchman has not played in his best position for the Reds; namely the left wing. That wasn't the case against Scotland as the former PSV Eindhoven star, who admittedly is a versatile forward option, looked a threat down that flank - which Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp would do well to take notice of.

Scotland boss Steve Clarke may have been pleased with what he saw for the first hour or so but his substitutions shortly before and after the Dutch's second only made things worse for the visitors and his players then wilted under the home side's rising pressure. In contrast, his managerial counterpart Ronald Koeman got his subs spot on.

After this victory for the Netherlands, Koeman's side round off their international period with a clash against rivals Germany on Tuesday whereas Clarke's Scotland lock horns with Northern Ireland on the same day.