For the time being Liverpool are currently without two linchpins in Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold. The latter is injured, meanwhile the former is not only away at the African Cup of Nations but is also injured as well.
Losing both is a huge blow to Jurgen Klopp. Salah and Alexander-Arnold are the heart of everything positive going forward for Liverpool. Together the two of them create chances and Salah is adept at putting chances away as well.
Now their absence will leave a void. But it’s a void that can be filled by one player who has been in great form and recently praised by Klopp as ‘really special.’
Darwin Nunez is the key
In Salah and Alexander-Arnold’s absence the key to replace them is now in Darwin Nunez’s hands. The Uruguayan is not just an out-and-out goal-scorer who gets into dangerous positions but he is already a creator.
This season he has registered 10 assists – which is more than Alexander-Arnold and Salah. On top of that, as per FBref, Nunez has averaged a higher non-penalty xG than Salah over the last calendar year. Salah averages 0.50 meanwhile Nunez is on 0.67.
In his last game against Fulham he created four chances – which was the most in the game – and he only played 34 minutes.
If Nunez can continue offering the same kind of threat and creativity, he has the potential to completely make Liverpool forget about Salah and Alexander-Arnold not being on the pitch. He is the harbinger of chaos who can replace anyone in the team, and this is now the time for him to unleash his full potential.
