Klopp fires warning to Liverpool rivals over Nunez after stunning double

07 March 2024 , 20:45

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Jurgen Klopp hailed Darwin Nunez's performance after his stunning brace against Sparta Prague (Image: Kieran McManus/REX/Shutterstock)

Jurgen Klopp believes Darwin Nunez has ‘talent coming out of his ears’ and warned Liverpool ’s rivals he’s only getting better.

The Reds striker scored two stunners to take the Merseysiders to more than 1,000 goals under Klopp as they thrashed Sparta Prague to put one foot in the quarter-finals. Nunez is now in red-hot form with 16 so far this season - surpassing his tally from his debut campaign after an £85m move from Benfica.

Kop boss Klopp said: “He had absolutely more than OK first season but he had to adapt, that’s done, settled in the middle of the team. He loves to play for this team together with these boys and has quality coming out of his ears to be honest.

“It’s like strikers are, they score and then they don’t score. Is he at his absolute peak in general? Not now for us. But can he develop? Yes. Is he a threat all the time? Yes. When he’s not scoring he for us is incredibly important as he is a constant threat and gives us spaces in areas and options.”

Alexis Mac Allister got Liverpool on the way with an early penalty before a stunning double from Nunez put the Reds in control. An own goal from Conor Bradley gave Sparta some hope but Luis Diaz and Dominik Szoboszlai ensured next week's second leg at Anfield is a formality.

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The only low point of the evening for Liverpool in the Czech Republic was a suspected hamstring injury to defender Ibrahima Konate, who was forced off in the second half. The France defender is now a doubt for Sunday’s huge clash with Manchester City in the Premier League title race.

Klopp added: “We don’t know. Ibou said to me in the moment, ‘I thought if I do another sprint then it could be bad’ so he said it should be fine but we don’t know.”

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Chris McKenna