Jermaine Defoe praises Liverpool star for 'sharp' display against Bournemouth
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp insisted that Darwin Nunez would score despite unscathed criticism over his finishing on social media. The Reds defeated Newcastle United 4-2 at Anfield to maintain their position at the top of the Premier League table.
The game involved numerous chances for the Reds during the torrid rainy evening with Nunez taking eight shots in total. The 24-year-old failed to beat Martin Debravka, who had a sensational outing from the point he saved Mohamed Salah’s penalty.
However, Nunez played a pivotal role in the overall performance, notching up an assist for the opening goal from Salah. The Uruguay international has faced serious criticism from some sections of the fanbase for being too wasteful in front of goals. He has enjoyed the overall support from the Kopites, known for being knowledgeable and appreciative of his contributions.
Regardless of the criticism, Nunez has eight goals and eight assists from 28 appearances in all competitions. He was prolific for his national team last year, scoring against top teams like Brazil and Argentina.
Klopp told Sky Sports (h/t BBC) that Nunez himself is unhappy for failing to score despite numerous chances. He said:
“Of course he’s not happy with not scoring. I saw him involved. Football is a pretty simple game, put the ball in the back of the net but that boys have to do a lot of stuff besides that. He kept Botman and Schar together. We needed him there. As long as Darwin has these moments then it’s all fine. Darwin will score. Social media is a bit of a disturbance slightly. No-one has to worry about Darwin. He played a really good game with a really unselfish pass to Mo and he scored a goal.”
Darwin’s ability to get into critical position to get these chances are a crucial positive despite his struggle with composure. He is also very unselfish in front of goal, always opting to pass when there is a better option available.
The 24-year-old’s quick thinking and link-up play with his attacking partners, Salah and Luis Diaz played a crucial role. Furthermore, we cannot negate the impressive saves that Debravka made throughout the game, positioning himself at the right places.
Darwin’s criticism over his lack of composure are justified and Liverpool’s position at the top leaves no room for weaknesses. Ignoring many social media loudmouths is necessary as they prioritize pointless negativity over celebrating the win.
Players like Luis Suarez took a lot of time to gain their lethal finishing touch in the Premier League. These naysayers would have wanted him gone before he reached his stride and produced incredible output in his last season. Nunez is already contributing respectable output and while he can definitely do more, he deserves support more than unwanted bashing.
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