If failed Darwin Nunes continues to compete for Liverpool, it won’t be long before Jurgen Klopp makes a decision.
Jurgen Klopp comments on the recent form of Cody Gakpo and Darwin NunezThe story was clear when Darwin Nunes scored twice in the second half to lead 10-man Liverpool to victory over Newcastle in August.
It would certainly be the long-awaited start to a potential club-record signing haul for United, who have endured a difficult first season at Anfield.However, Núñez scored just one goal in the next seven games for the club.
That meant fans saw his superb strike, the third and perhaps the best of his Liverpool career, against Bournemouth in October as a real spark.But instead, the false dawns continue. Nunez’s clean sheet against Manchester United on Sunday marked his 10th winless streak and was four games longer than his worst drought last season.
We wondered at the start of November if his confidence would return after missing the 1-1 draw with Luton at the end of the season, and sadly that proved to be the case. Few major signings in Liverpool’s recent history have been as patient with the Reds’ fans.
Núñez seems to have captured the hearts of Anfield fans as much as a good leader on film as a striker who plays with impressive feeling despite his own imperfections. But this is not just blind faith.
Nunez’s outstanding underlying numbers – top shot volume and xG – have sparked optimism and led many to predict an explosive second season at Benfica. “In the beginning he was a bit aggressive, but now he is aggressive in the right way.
I am very happy with what we have seen now. The rest will come. We are completely calm,” said Jurgen Klopp. In a recent interview with Amazon Prime. “Could he have scored more goals?” Sure. Could he have more cases?
I don’t think so. He has every moment. “Now we have to put the finishing touches on it.”The problem, Klopp made clear, was that they had to work with him from the moment he arrived. We feel stuck in an endless loop.
But the truth is this is a 24-year-old who cost Liverpool $109m (£85m/€100m) including add-ons and has a season and a year to live on to his performance against Burnley on Boxing Day. Half of the Premier League.
Had he played for the opposing team, Reds fans would have questioned it. In addition to maintaining its goals, any change in its consistency would be welcomed by all parties.
“It would be unfair to judge a player only by his goals. It’s always about the team,” said Pep Linders at today’s press conference. True, but the rest of his track hasn’t been good lately either.
“The way he defends for the team and the way he catches will help us a lot,” Linders said. “He is having a much better season than last season. He became our striker. He is learning and I love him so much.
This is partly an obvious statement, but Nunes needs to start the game. Because his share price is falling now, when he has to make his next move. Sadio Mane is the only high-profile striker signed by Klopp who was sold while there, but only because he asked to leave.
To be clear, it’s not yet time for Liverpool to consider sacking Nunes, but for him if he can’t find some consistency and, more importantly, get to a point where not every goal feels like a big goal . His confidence was followed by increased calls for the club to consider spending cuts.
Reds need a centre-forward who can develop in the long-term, and 18 months into his Anfield career, Nunez has yet to clearly prove he can be that man.
