Liverpool star Darwin Nunez delivered a hardworking yet isolated performance during the Uruguay loss to Peru at the Nacional Stadium. Peru defeated Uruguay 1-0 after Miguel Araujo scored an 83rd-minute goal against the visitors in the World Cup qualifier.
The Peru defence isolated Nunez as he had to work hard to influence the game with his teammates struggling immensely. Both teams cancelled each other out for most of the game despite Uruguay’s 62% domination in ball possession.
Uruguay failed to create any big chances throughout the game and registered fewer shots than the hosts, lacking attacking creativity. However, the Liverpool forward delivered a hardworking shift in the attack as his team failed to provide him with opportunities.
According to SofaScore, Nunez managed two shots on target with four out of nine successful dribble attempts in the game. He made 100% accurate long passes and won seven out of 12 ground duels while winning five out of six aerial duels. The 25-year-old made one clearance and one tackle while earning two fouls in his all-round display for the Uruguayan team.
Nunez has struggled to establish himself as the first-team starter this season under new Liverpool head coach Arne Slot. However, Slot has refrained from rotation policy as a whole during the early stages of the season, letting on-form players thrive.
Diogo Jota has played as a first-choice forward ahead of Nunez, having a more reliable finishing ability than the Uruguayan. However, Jota has faced criticism for his lack of overall contribution which gets exposed when he misses too many chances.
The Portuguese international scored a match-winning goal in Liverpool’s last game against Crystal Palace but missed several key goalscoring chances. Nunez has made seven appearances in all competitions for Liverpool so far, contributing with one goal and one assist.
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The 25-year-old made only three starts in those seven games, facing a limited game time so far under Slot. However, the upcoming fixture congestion combined with incredibly tough opponents within the congestion will require a lot of rotation policy. Nunez will earn ample opportunities to prove his worth to Slot under new tactics that could negate the problems he has faced at Liverpool so far.
