29 August 2023 , 10:56
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Darwin Nunez has opened up about the impact former Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa has had on his game after the forward's brilliant cameo in Liverpool's win over Newcastle.
Nunez came off the bench at St James' Park and netted a brace as Liverpool earned a stunning comeback victory. The 24-year-old has had to settle for a role off the bench in Liverpool's first three games of the new season as he continues his development.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp has repeatedly stressed that Nunez is a "long-term project" and "still adapting" to Premier League football. And the former Benfica star is now benefitting from the insight of another world-class manager in the form of Bielsa.
The ex-Leeds boss was named head coach of the Uruguay national team in May and has overseen wins in his first two games in charge. And while Nunez may have missed the two friendlies against Nicaragua and Cuba, he spoke to Bielsa on Zoom and revealed the 68-year-old has already helped him 'correct some things'.
In an interview with Uruguayan radio station sport 890, Nunez said: "I had a chat with Bielsa over Zoom. Bielsa showed me some of my games things and corrected some things that seem positive to improve.
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"He tells me to run behind the second centre-back so they lose my position. It was a very good talk. He seemed like a good guy to me and a serious guy. I hope to meet him next week and do my best for the team."
Nunez also spoke about his performance against Newcastle, revealing that being named on the bench for the third game in a row got him "angry in a good way". He added: "The minutes I get to play I always try to give my best.
New Uruguay boss Marcelo Bielsa is already having an impact on Nunez (Pool Burga/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)"When it's my turn to be on the bench, I go in angry in a good way because I always want to prove myself. The hug with Klopp after the match shows what a good relationship there is.
"I'm very happy for my moment. I always prepare myself in the best way for when it's my turn." This was echoed by Klopp's own comments after the game as he told Sky Sports: "He was obviously fired up about not playing, not starting, and he put all the energy into those two shots ... it was a super-mature performance and two top-class goals.
"It's early in the season, you need to find stability. We need to find a formation you need to get results, and then we play every three days and everybody will play, there's no doubt about that."