New Delhi: Darwin Nunez was asked for a goal by Liverpool boss Arne Slot prior to Wednesday’s Champions League matchup with RB Leipzig. At the Red Bull Arena, the Uruguayan did his job, scoring the match winning goal in the first half to help the Reds win 11 of their 12 games under their new manager.
Actually, when Nunez poked home Mohamed Salah’s downward header from less than a meter out, the ball was most likely already headed into the net, possibly through the inside of the post, making it a rather simple one to score for the Uruguayan. Even if the No. 9’s intervention was likely superfluous, it certainly was a crucial one for his Liverpool career. His tap-in could, in fact, turn out to be one of the most significant goals of his tenure at Anfield, serving as the impetus for a comeback that could save his Liverpool career.
Praises from Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez was a top class striker for Liverpool (Via @LFCVine)
Nunez has yet to establish himself as a suitable candidate for Liverpool’s No. 9 shirt despite being in his third season at Anfield. Despite all of his qualities and abilities to score worldies, he continues to be accused of missing too many clear cut chances, and the Liverpool fans might like Nunez, but they are slowly running out of patience.
Although he has shown his abilities on multiple occasions—match-winning goals against Nottingham Forest and Newcastle last season immediately come to mind—we have yet to see sufficient proof to back up Luis Suarez’s assertion that his countryman is “one of the best center-forwards in the world.” The Liverpool veteran also remarked, “I love watching him and I love how he plays.”
Is Nunez being backed up by the fans?
Darwin Nuñez appreciation post…
From first the minute he joined Liverpool he came under mass scrutiny externally, internally he’s always had the backing of a majority of fans..
He’s dealt with major adversity and being ridiculed on a regular basis.
We as fans are getting to… pic.twitter.com/AzHAy9vx6w
— Anfield Sector (@AnfieldSector) October 23, 2023
Nunez is adored by most Liverpool fans. However, there’s no denying that patience is wearing thin. With Nunez as Liverpool’s starting center-forward, there are serious questions raised about whether they can achieve their goal of winning big trophies at Anfield. He has only averaged one goal per three games for the Reds, which is a figure that are just not good enough if we compare other strikers from top clubs.
Nunez had numerous chances to secure a starting position under Jurgen Klopp, but he wasted them. By the end of his first two seasons on Merseyside, he had been demoted to the position of reserve. Additionally, he began the current campaign on the bench under the new management of Arne Slot. However, fans may seem frustrated, but they would also love to see the forward grow and do better in the future.
Problems for Nunez
During the summer, there were rumors that Arne Slot, the new manager, called Nunez as soon as possible to reassure him that he will play a significant role this season. These rumors made sense as it was thought that Slot could be able to follow Uruguay manager Marcelo Bielsa’s example by figuring out how to get the most out of Nunez, as the former Feyenoord coach had done miracles with Santiago Gimenez, a striker with a similar skill set, at De Kuip.
It’s obvious considering the number of goals that Jota has scored over the years, that he has proved to be a better goal scorer than Nunez. Slot tasked Jota with leading his 4-2-3-1 formation because, with all due deference to the unrelenting Salah, the Portuguese is arguably Liverpool’s finest finisher. Jota can typically be relied upon to convert opportunities, but regrettably, he cannot be relied upon to remain healthy, and his most recent injury has given his fellow forward an opportunity.
🇵🇹 Diogo Jota:
all time stats for Liverpool:
👕 146 games
⚽️ 57 goals
🎯 19 assists pic.twitter.com/ujXcGOxZQK— Caessar⚽️🏆🇺🇸 (@CaessarGH) August 17, 2024
Following Jota’s dismissal during Sunday’s crucial Premier League match against Chelsea, Nunez entered the game and impressed everyone with his work ethic, mobility, and link-up play. However, his wastefulness in front of the goal was the only problem that may have caused the wrong impression.
Nunez only saw 62 minutes of action in the season’s opening four Premier League games, and Slot had a few interesting things to say- “Darwin needs the same as all the others, work really hard and the goals will come,”
The Dutch manager further added- “He will get his chance in the near future, we play a lot of games, and he is fitter and fitter and understands day by day what we want from him. But he’s in competition with Diogo [Jota] who has done well.”
What’s the next chapter of this Liverpool-Nunez saga?
What’s next for Darwin Nunez at Liverpool ( Via @Lfc__vision)
Although he has provided entertainment and had some successful few stints in recent years, Liverpool prefer a starting striker who is reliable and can do the job more consistently, rather than performing in patches. Nunez should start tonight against Arsenal because Jota’s fitness is still in question. His speed would be a major threat to a Gunners defence without William Saliba due to suspension and his physical attributes, work rate and determination may prove crucial for the Reds.
Mikel Arteta will himself face a problem in sorting his defensive line, as the absence of Saliba is a big of a loss. However, considering the depth in their defensive line, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him build a strong defence which won’t allow Nunez the freedom. This means he needs to seize this chance and try not to be wasteful with the chances he gets, to ultimately secure a consistent starting position at Liverpool.
Without a doubt, Nunez will be sold in the summer if he doesn’t catch fire before the end of the season. Liverpool simply cannot afford to have a striker worth £64 million ($79 million) on the bench.
In that regard, Nunez’s situation is truly one of “now or never.” In Liverpool’s recent Champions League outing, he fulfilled Slot’s request and scored the winner. It is essential that he repeats this tonight and in the upcoming games, or else it might just be it for the Uruguayan striker.
