New Delhi: Oh Darwin! What’s happening to you? A few seasons back, Nunez was considered as one of the most lethal young strikers at Benfica, where he was bagging goals for fun. Ever since his move from Portugal and eventually joining the English giants Liverpool, his time at Benfica is now long forgotten. Inconsistency, work-rate and the worst of all, lack of confidence in front of goal, have been the factors that eventually led to his downfall.
Liverpool have a rich history when it comes to some of the greatest number nines playing for the Reds over the years. From Fernando Torres to Luis Suarez, the Kopp has witnessed some of the most lethal strikers play for them and Darwin Nunez’s arrival in the summer of 2022 was anticipated as the beginning of yet another career of a top tier number nine. However, in the last few seasons, things have gone cold and they only get worse for the Uruguay international at Liverpool.
Nunez did have a decent start to his life at Liverpool as in his debut season he managed to score 15 goals in all competitions, following it with a campaign where he struck 18 goals and had 13 assists. These numbers were actually decent, but a striker who has been signed for a massive £85 million, you would expect much more than 20 Premier League goals in his opening two seasons. Meanwhile, his competitor Erling Haaland was already breaking records for Manchester City.
Besides, the Uruguay international was heavily criticised for spurning big opportunities and his lack of confidence in front of goal was clearly evident, which has not changed this season. Nunez was yet again criticised for not having the composure to score and being wasteful in front of the goal. In Liverpool’s recent Premier League clash against Aston Villa, with the keeper Emiliano Martínez out of position, Nunez missed the opportunity to put Liverpool ahead 3-2. He then went one-on-one with the goalie but was tackled by Martínez.
After the game, his own manager Arne Slot criticised him for his lacking work-rate against Villa that may have meant something after all. Nunez has been seen more as a super-sub for majority of this season as he has only started seven out of his 21 appearances. He has managed to score four times so far but he has also missed the same number of big chances, dropping his shot conversion rate to 15.4%, which is a poor figure for the Uruguay international who has barely featured this season.
Darwin Nunez has missed just shy of one big chance every game since 2022/23 🫣 pic.twitter.com/f3vgrZk2xa
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 20, 2025
Is Nunez the ideal option for Liverpool?
Nunez is a player who is lacking in confidence in front of goal which is always an ugly sight for a number nine. It is almost hard to believe that a few years back, the same guy was scoring goals for fun. Before joining Liverpool in the 2022/23 season, Nunez had scored a mammoth 34 goals in all competitions for Benfica, where he also scored six times in the Champions League, including two goals against his current club Liverpool in the quarter final stage.
His attacking prowess was never in doubt and to be fair, he is a player who works extremely hard on the pitch. He did have his say in Liverpool’s Premier League clash against Brentford, where he came on as a substitute to score two late goals to secure the three points for the Reds. It was a game where Liverpool were surprisingly lacking the finishing touch, but Nunez took the charge and managed to take advantage of his movement and anticipation to score his brace against a stubborn Brentford defence.
This shows that Nunez might be going through a rough patch, but his natural striker’s instinct is still there. He needs the confidence back and the self belief that has been missing for quite some time. Liverpool’s current attackers are all firing in, but they suffered a major blow after Cody Gakpo was ruled out due to an injury, keeping him out till late March. However, it looks like Arne Slot isn’t quite willing to put the 25-year-old in his starting eleven, which is a bad news for Nunez. To be fair, if Nunez is given the time that he needs, he might turn out ot be a decent striking option for the Reds. Wih no real interests from other clubs, it is less likely to see him leave Liverpool any time sooner.
However, this might be his last opportunity to prove his worth and save his Liverpool career. He needs to make the most out of every opportunity that he gets, and deliver the goods that Slot demands from him.
Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez had a horrible moment against Aston Villa due to which he has faced a lot of criticism. Should Liverpool keep their faith on Nunez or is it time up for the Uruguayan? Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
