Jose Enrique was critical of Liverpool ace Darwin Nunez in spite of impressing vs Arsenal. (Photo by Pakawich Damrongkiattisak/Getty Images)
Speaking to Lord Ping (h/t Liverpool Echo), former Arsenal defender Mikael Silvestre came to the defence of new Liverpool signing Darwin Nunez and asked fans to take into perspective the intensity, or the lack of it, of pre-season games.
The Uruguayan striker had a largely average pre-season outing against Manchester United that Liverpool lost 4-0 in Thailand. Following the game, Nunez was the centre of attention as rival fans took swipes at his supposedly poor cameo.
According to Silvestre
, such pre-season games aren’t really a true measure of the player in question. That is, of course, true given the players are just returning from their vacations and getting back to their groove.“Darwin Nunez has just joined Liverpool and these pre-season games you have to take into account that they’re still doing pre-season training and they’re not fully fit or fully rested.”
Moreover, these games have very little on the line, especially for senior players. It is usually a way to get the players warmed up for the season that lies ahead.
Nunez did not have a very good outing against Crystal Palace after that game either. But then again, it was the second game in a row where Klopp brought on virtually the entire bench onto the field for some gametime.
It wasn’t a very serious game and there was hardly anything at stake. Games against RB Leipzig and RB Salzburg await us this month, but like the two games before this, they don’t matter a lot in terms of result.
Things get a little more serious on July 30th when Manchester City take on LFC in the Community Shield match. That would be a great occasion for Nunez to open his account at Liverpool.
Having joined LFC in a move that could touch €100m with add-ons, Nunez will have the spotlight shining on him brightly. It’s on him to prove his worth now.
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