Darwin Nunez was the talking point for the wrong reason as Liverpool got knocked out of the Carabao cup on Thursday night at the Etihad.
Nunez missed two big chances which could have given Liverpool the advantage and a possible victory in the game. His performances have made Liverpool fans question why the club splashed a huge amount of money on him.
Nunez’s inability to finish chances reminds one of Timo Werner who was one of the last strikers to have come into the Premier League with huge expectations and flop. Is Nunez’s comparison with Werner fair and isn’t it too early to judge the former Benefica striker?
Below is what Jamie Carragher, former Liverpool player and sky sports pundit said about Darwin Nunez after his latest performance
“ He is a rough diamond. He will never have a quiet game, he will either score or will show a series of missed chances. He is not the most technical in terms of finishing.”
That is all you need to know about Nunez. I know it sounds ludicrous that a 23-year-old player is being called raw but it is what it is.
He has only had only one standout season since he started playing topflight football which was last season when he scored 26 goals for Benefica in the Portuguese League and 6 goals in the Champions League. Thus, he is not a finished article. He is no Erling Haaland.
Forget the social media comparison between both, the difference between him and Haaland is as clear as the difference between night and day.
Despite his lack of sharpness in front of goal, Nunez is a player that doesn’t shy away, he is always in the course of action. For instance, despite missing two chances against Man City, he was heavily involved in the goal when he had to run like a speed of light past Aymeric Laporte to assist Liverpool’s second goal.
It will interest you to note that Nunez has scored 9 goals and registered 3 assists in all competitions for Liverpool this season, which is an average of a goal or assist per game. In comparison, Timo Werner scored 12 goals in all competitions for Chelsea in his best season at the club.
We shouldn’t forget that has five goals in the Premier League which is 1 lesser than Timo Werner’s best tally in front of goal for Chelsea in the Premier League.
It seems people are quick to forget that Werner was not only culpable of missing clear-cut chances but often find himself in offside positions. Nunez has shown that he is more intelligent than that.
As a Liverpool fan, it is infuriating to see one of your club’s most expensive assetsbeing clueless in front of goal but Nunez needs to be given more time as he has the qualities to become one of Europe’s most deadly strikers.
While it has to be acknowledged that when a player is bought a huge fee, fans expect him to hit the ground running immediately but not all players are the same. Some will hit the ground running quickly like Haaland while some will need time to sort themselves out.
Concluding that he is a flop at this young stage of his Liverpool career is ridiculous and unfair. If given more time to hone his qualities, he will be a Liverpool legend at the end of his career.
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