Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold defended teammate Darwin Nunez
Speaking to Sky Sports (as quoted by Liverpool Echo), Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has defended Reds striker Darwin Nunez amidst the criticism.
The Uruguay international, who arrived at Anfield after a big-money move from Benfica, has been a bit hit-and-miss this season so far. But, the underlying performances suggest that he is not far away from hitting the heights. Hence, some of the criticism has seemed like it has just been made because he is not an English player.
Legendary Premier League striker Alan Shearer has written a piece in The Athletic detailing how good Nunez is and how he is not far away from hitting the numbers expected of him. Do give that article a read as well.
Here’s what Alexander-Arnold said when asked about the 23-year-old (h/t Liverpool Echo):
“If I’m honest that chemistry and understanding has been there early doors this season.
“It’s so easy when you look at it, you think we’ve had one goal together all season and maybe it’s like the wavelength but if you watch some games, you watch the chances created, I’ve been putting balls into him from early on in the season, we just haven’t been able to score from them.
“He’s a player that it’s easy to write him off, he’s not scoring goals but he’s getting into areas and places where he’s able to hurt opposition, that’s all you can ask.”
For a young foreign player coming into a new league as tough as the Premier League, there is always a leeway to what he does in his first season. On top of that, the red card against Crystal Palace very early in the campaign did hamper his momentum.
Now, having scored a great goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers to restore some confidence, Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that the 23-year-old might not be available to face Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.
Even if we forget the underlying numbers and look at his goal returns, Nunez has scored 10 goals and assisted three in 23 appearances in all competitions. Those are not the returns of a player who gets vilified by hopeless trolls and opposition club pundits on a daily basis.
More Liverpool News:
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- Liverpool urged to sign Moises Caicedo by former USMNT star Janusz Michallik
Let’s hope that the Uruguayan’s recent injury is not serious and he is back in action soon. With him in the side, even when he is not scoring, Liverpool possesses a different type of threat that not many players in the squad can produce.
