Who should replace Darwin Nunez in the Liverpool lineup as the title race dawns?
With no more than eight league games to go, Liverpool Football Club find themselves in the middle of nowhere. They are unable to secure maximum points with all their might and the core reason for this is a lack of ruthlessness. The Reds, famously known for their counter-attacking heavy metal style of football, have been a shadow of that with extremely poor finishing. Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah who have been at the receiving end of most of these chances, have failed to convert.
In our last three games [United (A), Atalanta (H) and Palace (H)], Liverpool have accumulated an xG of 9.08 and have scored a grand total of two goals. 14 big chances in these last three games, and 12 missed. One can only say wow. Our attackers have not been it, and in the game against Palace, we also saw one of our midfielders sky a bloody good chance,
It is about time someone stepped up, took a place in the frontline, and replaced Darwin Nunez. Mohamed Salah, even with his inconsistencies, is the next thing to undroppable. Luis Diaz on the other hand, is not famous for his free-scoring abilities, but he brings an X factor with both, his off-the-ball and on-the-ball antics. We need someone clinical to start instead of Nunez in the XI. The Uruguayan can have a real impact off the bench, eg: Newcastle (A) earlier this season.
OHHHHH HE WEARS THE #20!
Clinical, you say? At Liverpool, nobody comes close to Diogo Jota on that front. There are a fair few other candidates as well, but let them be for the time being. Jota knows what it’s like to push for the title, and would hope that his efforts this season get him his second league title in English Football; after winning the Championship and Promotion with Wolves in 2018.
In 30 appearances across all competitions this season, he has scored 14 goals and has four assists. He only returned from injury in the 3-0 loss to Atalanta, featuring for the last 15 minutes of the game. He played almost a half-hour against Palace, and could potentially start in the return leg against Atalanta in Bergamo.
He’s taken 38 shots in the Premier League this season. Nine goals, with an xG of 4.91. The best thing about Diogo Jota is the fact that he can make an impact immediately and from situations you least expect him to score from. The win against Tottenham last season is an example of his composure in front of goal, something our other attackers seem to lack.
In terms of the left wing, Cody Gakpo can start a fair few games. His dribbling ability is massively underrated, and he has played the best football of his life for PSV starting on that of the attack and has scored a lot of goals cutting in. He must have a set role instead of playing anywhere, as a joker in a deck of cards.
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The ideal frontline is Diogo J with Salah and Diaz or Gakpo flanking him. Wataru Endo in holding midfield with Dominik Szoboszlai on his right and Alexis Mac Allister on his left. Trent Alexander-Arnold right-back, Andy Robertson left-back. Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate with Alisson Becker in goal. GO ALL OUT.
