Liverpool star Darwin Nunez needs to prove himself against AC Milan in the Champions League bout under the new tactics. It is still up for speculation but Nunez could make his first start for Liverpool this season under new head coach Arne Slot as he travels with the 23-man squad and make a statement.
Liverpool started the season strongly after registering three wins from three games before the September international break stopped their rhythm. The Reds lost 0-1 to Nottingham Forest at Anfield after the club football returned from the break, ruining their form.
Slot has used the same starting lineup so far apart from his early change from Jarell Quansah to Ibrahima Konate. However, the situation changes as the Reds step into the congested fixture period, having one of the toughest fixture schedules.
The new format of the Champions League has added more games to their season calendar with strong opponents awaiting Liverpool. Liverpool will face Milan, RB Leipzig, Bologna, Bayer Leverkusen, Real Madrid, Girona, LOSC and PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.
Many of these fixtures are congested between tough Premier League games that will force a lot of required rotation policy. While Liverpool has a strong squad, no striker has secured the primary number-nine position.
Slot has deployed Diogo Jota as the number-nine in the first four Premier League games as Darwin awaits his chance. The 25-year-old faced severe criticism last season due to his late dip in form which coincided with the other players.
Liverpool faced serious consequences due to the poor late form, crashing out of the Europa League and the Premier League. Nunez reacted to the social media criticism by deleting pictures associated with Liverpool from his official social media accounts. However, Darwin has maintained his loyalty towards the club, not forcing any transfer move and is willing to prove himself.
Darwin Nunez’s main competition: Diogo Jota
While Jota has maintained his reputation as one of the best finishers in the squad, he struggles with overall contributions. On his off day in front of the goal, Jota struggles as we saw in his performance against Nottingham Forest.
Slot substituted the 27-year-old in the 60th minute after his lacklustre performance at Anfield where he missed one big chance. The Portugal international made only 23 touches with 54% accurate passes, losing possession 10 times during the game. He won only one out of three ground duels and one out of three aerial duels against Nottingham.
While Jota remains a key part of the squad if he stays fit and continues scoring his limitations are problematic. The Portuguese remains far from a reliable starter and more of an impact player, capable of hurting opponents in cameos.
Immense potential vs Consistency: Nunez’s Liverpool career so far
A big section of the fanbase has outlined this season as a make-or-break for Nunez to establish himself at Anfield. The Uruguayan has shown well-documented qualities and raw potential but has struggled to deliver consistently for Liverpool since arriving.
Despite the criticism, Nunez has 33 goals and 17 assists from 99 appearances in all competition for Liverpool. Having 50 goals plus assists from less than 100 games is a healthy return but his price tag and the number of opportunities paint another story.
The 25-year-old’s biggest criticism is his failure to convert clear-cut chances and his frequent offsides. While the language barrier played a mitigating factor in the last two seasons, that reason is unacceptable this season.
Make-or-break season under Slot
Nunez needs to establish himself under Slot in new tactics that could either double his struggle or solve his problems. While Slot’s patience and efficiency-oriented style are new for Nunez, it could allow him to gain much-needed patience.
Nunez has played mostly in the direct style of play under Jurgen Klopp and for his nation under Marcelo Bielsa. His chaotic style of play and continuous hustling disorients the opposition but the adrenaline also causes the critical mistakes.
Meanwhile, Slot would demand more patience from Nunez to time his movements and use the spaces wisely. The change could allow more composure for the Uruguayan to fully utilize his technical abilities with less adrenaline in critical situations.
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This season is very important for both Liverpool and Nunez as he has everything to elevate himself and the club. Nunez’s development is also important for Slot as his ability to improve players played a key factor in his appointment.
