Don’t be fooled by Darwin Nunez’s struggles in front of goal; his ability to change games at the blink of an eye is priceless for Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool have a new creator-in-chief and it is not the midfield incarnation of Trent Alexander-Arnold or the wizardry of Mohamed Salah.
The ball just will not go in for Darwin Nunez, but Anfield regulars have not joined in the social media pile-on whenever the Uruguayan passes up another gilt-edged opportunity – they know his value goes beyond goals.
Two assists in Liverpool’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg win over Fulham took Nunez to 10 for the season, one more than Salah and Alexander-Arnold. He doesn’t possess Alexander-Arnold’s telescopic passing radar, or Salah’s supernatural ability to know where his target is without even looking, but Nunez offers something oddly conspicuous by its absence during last season’s annus horribilis on Merseyside – fire.
In driving to the byline and crossing for Cody Gakpo for Liverpool’s winner on Wednesday night, Nunez single-handedly dragged his stuttering side over the line, in that riotous way only he, in the current squad, seemingly can.
Fire breeds anarchy – something that follows Nunez everywhere. Despite only coming on in the 56th minute, Nunez had the highest expected goals (xG), the most touches in the opposition box, completed the most dribbles and had the joint most shots of any Liverpool player, as well as assisting both goals.
The three golden chances spurned are par for the course for Nunez, but to his immense credit, he keeps on coming, and coming.
Quite how his last effort did not go in only Captain Chaos will know. It could only happen to him. His ability to change matches, however, remains on point.
‘I don’t know how to explain Darwin. I am so happy about how our crowd is with him,’ Klopp said, as perplexed as anyone in the stadium.
‘He cannot be this unlucky – he does everything absolutely right with his shot [saved onto the woodwork]. Then he still sets up the goals. That is really special. There are so many things I love about him.”
The love is shared all around Anfield. Liverpool did not create a single opening of note in the first half on Wednesday night which, even given their most creative players were unavailable, is not the hallmark of a side fighting on four fronts this season.
Ryan Gravenberch competed for 11 duels in the opening 45 minutes and lost 10 of them. Liverpool’s swagger had deserted them, in the competition they are fully aware can be the perfect springboard for a successful campaign.
