Darwin Nunez - Liverpool's agent of chaos gives title hopefuls a different edge

12 January 2024 , 06:30

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Darwin Nunez of Liverpool celebrates his team's second goal, scored by Cody Gakpo, in the win over Fulham (Image: Getty Images)

Darwin Nunez arrived at Liverpool in the same summer as Erling Haaland joined Manchester City.

It led to an obvious question. The Reds had just been pipped to the post by City 2021/22 title race. So who was going to bring the extra firepower in the following season’s race to the Premier League crown?

Haaland, although 11 months younger, was further ahead in his development to become a record-breaking goalscorer after showing it in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund. Nunez had more rawness about him when he joined from Benfica.

Liverpool were never title challengers last season but that was owing to an ageing midfield, injuries and a hangover from their quadruple quest. But Nunez being compared to Haaland is totally wrong in hindsight. They’re very different.

Haaland is a goal machine, a natural-born finisher who is almost robotic in how he continually finds the net. He’s the best in the world at what he does.

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Nunez is a chaos causer who has yet to find that prolific touch in front of goal. Whether it comes remains to be seen. But what he is bringing to Jurgen Klopp’s attack this season is a touch of unpredictability. And it helps break down teams.

In a world of patterns of play and almost football by numbers, Nunez plays the game in a different way. He’s almost maverick like.

That could be seen by his 30-minute or so cameo against Fulham on Wednesday night as the Reds took control of their Carabao Cup semi-final. Liverpool were trailing and looked out of ideas as they dominated the ball and popped it around with little penetration.

Liverpool's Uruguayan No.9 is a nightmare for defenders (AFP via Getty Images)

Of course, they were missing the potency of Mo Salah and the creativeness of Trent Alexander-Arnold. But it is Nunez who has the most assists for the Reds this season after his two on Wednesday took him to 10.

It was his runs and relentless attitude which helped carve open the Cottagers who had been so resolute until his introduction.

OK, the lay off to Curtis Jones was hardly a difficult task for a professional footballer but his cross for Cody Gakpo’s winner took the right timing, pace and delivery to make the goal.

Nunez had the highest xG (0.76), the most touches in the opposition box with 12, completed the most dribbles in three and had the joint most shots at four of any Liverpool player in the game. That was all in 34 minutes.

Of course, when you pay what could turn out to be £85m for a striker, then goals are the name of the game. Nunez has just eight this season. It’s a tally which could have been taken to 11 in the Fulham game but he saw Bernd Leno deny him and also a wayward effort.

Goals define strikers. That’s football. Liverpool may be missing them from Nunez for now but, in the meantime, he’s still adding to their attack in a different way.

Chris McKenna