- 3 hours ago
Darwin Nunez: 10 seconds that CHANGED the Liverpool star’s season
Liverpool continue to ride high in the Premier League under Arne Slot, yet for Darwin Nunez, it has been a somewhat frustrating campaign to date.
Nunez has only started four league games while overall he has returned just a couple of goals in 11 appearances. It is a far cry from the 18 he netted under Jurgen Klopp last term.
The Uruguay striker slowly seems to be winning Slot over, yet this integration process to become a full part of the Dutchman’s plans might have been accelerated by a few moments of brilliance during the 2-1 Premier League victory over Brighton.
The fixture was nine minutes old when Nunez challenged for a loose ball in the centre circle, setting up a thrilling solo run at goal with a neat flick over his marker. In transition, he proved too strong for another defender on halfway before sprinting into the box and shimmying away from another Brighton challenge.
Now with a clear sight of goal, he kept his head only for Bart Verbruggen to deny him with a strong left wrist. The ball was parried away for a corner.
Had Nunez scored, it would have been a strong contender for goal of the season. On a more personal note, it was a potential campaign-defining moment.
Instead of having the confidence of a goal to build from, he drifted into an average performance. Sure, the work-rate was there, and he looked dangerous when given space, but that was his sole shot and was his defining involvement close to goal.
Darwin Nunez , that is WORLD CLASS🔥pic.twitter.com/87VQtH2M7F
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) November 2, 2024
How did Darwin Nunez play against Brighton?
FootballCritic gave him a 6.6 rating – the third-poorest among Liverpool players who made it past half-time. The others who were weaker – Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai – were both replaced midway through the second half.
Darwin seems to be winning his battle to get Slot onside, and for the next couple of weeks has the benefit of a free run at the centre-forward position with Diogo Jota injured.
He needs a goal to truly kickstart his campaign, though, and that moment of magic against Brighton would have been the perfect springboard to launch his bid to become Liverpool’s No.9.