Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy suggested he should play against Cody Gakpo rather than Darwin Núñez, as did Gary Neville.
Darwin Núñez played a full Premier League game for the first time since February on Sunday afternoon. It is no coincidence that his 90-minute display coincided with Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota both out, the former injured and the latter suspended.
Jurgen Klopp has rotated his options on Merseyside over the past six months, with all three of his strikers offering different qualities on the pitch. Gakpo, for example, is perhaps more Roberto Firmino-esque in that he has midfield tendencies and looks more natural when dropping into deeper areas. Núñez is a ubiquitous presence capable of single-handedly manning an entire defensive line, and Jota is a near-expert presser who drifts under the radar but always looks to arrive at the right time to tap. in a distance of six meters. Klopp has the luxury of attacking areas, especially with Mohamed Salah and Luis Díaz out of the equation.
Regardless of Liverpool’s squad choices, supporters and pundits alike agree that Núñez should feature more often. The South American striker is always a real threat on the pitch and people are starting to appreciate what he has to offer, even if he is not as clinical as Klopp would like.
In fact, Manchester United legend Gary Neville, who played in his playing days, recently described him as a “handful” on his Sky Sports podcast and also stated that he would choose to play him last if given the chance. him, Jota or Gakpo as an opponent. The former Liverpool midfielder has backed the Red Devils icon this week, with Danny Murphy echoing similar sentiments speaking on TalkSPORT.
“I really like what I see [looking at Núñez],” he began. “I have been insisting for a while that I will give him a very good game because any young striker who is trying to build his confidence and position at a football club needs a good game.
“He scores goals. He [also misses chances], but if he plays all the time, will he get you 20 goals? I think he would. I think he does. He looks fit, he’s quick, good in the air, huge.
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“Look, Liverpool have good options in attacking areas. When you play in the best teams, he plays in the middle, with Díaz and Salah on the right and left.
“Not Gakpo, and I like Gakpo, but I always look at it this way – if you’re a Man City, Man U, Tottenham, Arsenal centre-back and you see a Liverpool team sheet with Gakpo or Núñez playing, then Núñez. [worries you more].
Murphy has a point about the 24-year-old poacher’s credentials. The player-turned-expert – who won the UEFA Cup among several other trophies during his time at Anfield – brought Núñez’s penchant for opportunities as a skill often overlooked.
In football, players are judged on how well they take risks, not how well they create them. For example, the Uruguay international experienced a series of ups and downs in his debut campaign in England, with outside roles that sometimes did not suit his abilities, yet he averaged more shots per 90 minutes than any Premier League player. including Erling Haaland. This term, so it is again. Núñez is averaging 4.9 attempts per 90 in the English Premier League this season, which puts him fourth in Europe’s top five leagues behind only Victor Boniface, Kylian Mbappé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as players who have played at least 300 minutes.
Former Everton and Barcelona star Gary Lineker also recently offered his support for the Reds marksman. “I see a striker,” he said on The Rest is Football. “He’s fast, he has a lot of options. For me, the most important and natural goalscorers are those who get a lot of chances. There’s definitely a big scorer there.”
Alan Shearer, who still holds the Premier League record for most goals with Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers with 260, said the same on the same podcast. “Last season – even though he lost so many places – it didn’t seem to bother him. He has arrogance in a good way. The more you’re out there, the more goals you score.”
It seems that all the players who have been there and done that recognize what Núñez has in his closet. Klopp is in the process of harvesting his best qualities on the field, and when he finally manages to refine his rough diamond, it is reasonable to suggest that he’ll be starting for the Reds every week.
Right now, Núñez is essentially experiencing the calm before his inevitable storm.
