Gus Poyet believes Darwin Nunez will be a hit at Liverpool
While speaking to Lord Ping (h/t Liverpool Echo), former Chelsea and Tottenham midfielder Gus Poyet believes that Liverpool’s new signing Darwin Nunez will be a hit at Anfield for months and years to come.
The former Brighton and Sunderland boss Poyet, who played 26 times for the Uruguayan national team, says that while former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez and Nunez are different players, the latter has the attributes to be a great goal-scorer in the Premier League.
“Luis Suarez and Darwin Nunez are different players. But Nunez has all the attributes to be a great goalscorer in the Premier League.
Poyet further went on to add that it is easier to settle in the Premier League as a defender than a striker. He warned Nunez that there will be situations when defenders will be tight to him and bundle him to the ground, but the referee will signal play on.
“Nunez will have to deal with situations where he might feel he’s been fouled and the referee does not call it. Nunez will be knocked down many times, he’ll be playing against defensive teams because he plays for Liverpool.”
“I am confident he will score lots of goals and I do believe he will be a fan favourite by the end of the season.”
These certainly are words of encouragement and viable warnings from Nunez’s fellow countryman, who has played and managed two clubs each in the Premier League.
Nunez has made a tremendous start to his Liverpool career, scoring two goals and assisting one in two games so far against Manchester City in the Community Shield and Fulham in the Premier League opener.
Not just his goals, the 23-year-old’s movements and the menace he has caused to defences so far have been encouraging to see from a Liverpool viewpoint. He is yet to start a game, although that possibility wouldn’t be ruled out when the Reds next take the field against Crystal Palace at Anfield on Monday.
Nunez is potentially the club-record fee signing for the club if all the add-ons in his transfer fees are met. He came in when Sadio Mane left for Bayern Munich but is a different player to the Senegal international.
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As much as it is widely mentioned that Manchester City were without a world-class striker last season (despite Gabriel Jesus’ presence), Liverpool played without one too. In fact, in Jurgen Klopp’s era, he is arguably the first conventional number nine the Reds have signed.