Mohamed Salah‘s 16th goal of the season on Tuesday night helped Liverpool beat Girona 1-0 and protected their perfect record in the Champions League this season. On the surface, Liverpool are now favourites to win both the Premier League and the Champions League and it is largely due to their results. However, the Reds are hiding one big weak link, which could cost them later in the season.
Liverpool are keeping their momentum going this season despite one area of their squad not working at all. There are no prizes for guessing which player we are talking about – Darwin Nunez.
The Uruguayan striker was again ineffective up front and was taken off after 70 minutes as he continues to be frustrating in the Liverpool shirt this season.
The Reds are in the market for a striker and Nunez is rapidly running out of time and opportunities to show that he deserves to be persevered with, in that number 9 role.
Arne Slot has already shown enough signs that he doesn’t trust Nunez and he preferred to start Diogo Jota over the former Benfica star in the number 9 role earlier in the season.
The numbers are not in favour of Nunez
Nunez’s supporters have often cited his overall play to defend him but he is a number 9 and his job is to score goals, especially for a team like Liverpool who create lots of chances.
He has three goals in 19 appearances across all competitions but he has scored just once in his last ten appearances in a Liverpool shirt. In an attacking team like Liverpool, these are shameful numbers for a centre-forward.
Nunez was again profligate at Girona on Tuesday night. According to Opta, Liverpool created four big chances during the game and the Uruguayan missed two of them
The 25-year-old showed the same remarkable lack of composure at Newcastle United last week when he missed a couple of guilt-edged opportunities.
His overall play, something his supporters are always keen to point out, was poor at Girona as well. During his 71 minutes on the field, he had 16 touches, completed only four of his eight passes and won one out of four duels.
Can you name the team Liverpool sold these players to?
In short, Nunez was a liability and a major weak link for Liverpool on the pitch in a crucial Champions League game and only escaped more scrutiny because Salah stepped up.
He has scored just two goals in the Premier League this season and has been accused of squandering several opportunities. For a team pushing to win the league and the Champions League, his missed chances could come back to bite Liverpool at some point this season.
However, Nunez had a golden chance to cement his spot in the team in the last two months due to Diogo Jota’s injury but he failed to grab that opportunity.
It would not be a surprise if Jota is in the starting eleven when Liverpool are at home against Fulham this weekend.
