Darwin Nez took a whole year to establish himself at Liverpool.
Darwin Nuniez had to wait a whole year before he had an impression at Liverpool, but he couldn’t have chosen a better moment. His two goals for Uruguay’s forward at Newcastle United on Sunday helped Jurgen Klopp’s squad escape a loss and may have finally made clear what all the hoopla was about.
Nuniez has continually struggled since his club-record signing from Benfica in the summer of 2022, a deal that could ultimately cost Liverpool £85 million. He has had flashes of prodigious talent, but he has tainted these appearances with shoddy execution, erratic decision-making, and distractions from detractors, sowing doubt and bringing him closer to the margins.
But there’s always been something special about Nuniez. He is an uncut gem that needs time and the perfect circumstances to shine. However, despite the frustration of his supporters, teammates, and manager Klopp, the 24-year-old player’s ability to let people down has been obvious this season, leaving some to question whether he can actually produce for Liverpool.
His two key goals at St. James’ Park helped Liverpool defeat Newcastle United 2-1 despite being reduced to ten men following captain Virgil van Dijk’s dismissal in the 28th minute. Nuniez’s performance won’t completely allay Liverpool’s fears, but Klopp must take some solace in the forward’s ruthless way of seizing the moment. This season, Liverpool is in desperate need of better performances.
Nuniez gave a tremendous performance, according to Klopp. “He was annoyed that he wouldn’t start. He is obviously not pleased. We need stability and performance as the season gets underway. But there is no question that he will play.
Nuniez had a difficult start to the season at Anfield due to Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, and Mohamed Salah’s absences because of their signings for future undertakings. With only nine goals in the Premier League and six in other leagues, he is unlikely to place in the top five of the list of the best forwards by year’s end.
However, among Liverpool’s Champions League and Premier League-winning front three, only Salah is left after Firmino left following a summer loan move to Bayern Munich the previous season. Therefore, it is now appropriate to integrate Nuniez. In all three of Liverpool’s games this season, Klopp has used him off the bench, suggesting that the Liverpool boss is still unsure of how to make the most of his most costly signing. He has yet to start a game this season.
The first game Nuniez played for Newcastle clarifies Klopp’s ambiguity. Nuniez lost control after sprinting onto a through ball and Newcastle almost went up 2-0 on the other end thanks to a quick strike from Harvey Barnes. Nuniez’s ability to get past missteps and missed opportunities, fight back, and perform, though, is what makes him admirable. It was a superb finish that only a striker in good form would attempt when he equalized shortly after blowing a similar opportunity.
Klopp’s challenge and test will be how consistently he can take these risks. Nuniez has the skills Liverpool knows will produce a forward capable of scoring 20 to 30 goals in a season: pace, movement, and, when it all comes together, finishing.
Nuniez’s goal off of Salah’s free kick demonstrated his ability to wrest triumph from the jaws of loss. Another excellent finish from him beyond goalie Nick Pope mocked the notion of a player who was more likely to miss goals than score. Nuniez’s problem, which should be fixed over time on the practice field, is capitalizing on difficult opportunities and fending off what appear to be simpler ones.
The day he actually stood up under pressure was his finest hour while wearing a Liverpool jersey. Nuniez now needs to shape it into something durable and make this his Norris moment.
Nuniez demonstrated Liverpool’s tenacity by keeping Liverpool in the contest and securing victory. They had a sizable lead for a while.
