Darwin Nunez has admitted that he regularly struggles against Virgil van Dijk in Liverpool training.
Since joining the Reds in a £75 million deal in 2018, Van Dijk has established himself as perhaps the world’s finest central defender.
And Nunez can certainly see evidence of that behind the scenes in Liverpool training.
The 23-year-old overtook the Dutchman as the club’s most expensive signing ever following an £85 million transfer from Benfica this past summer.
It has been a difficult season for Van Dijk who, in addition to boasting some incredible performances, has also posted some questionable ones, relative to his talent.
But Nunez has assured that the former Southampton powerhouse is an absolute ‘monster’ in Liverpool training and one who he finds it difficult to best.
He told ESPN Uruguay: “Van Dijk is a monster, sometimes I get hot (angry) because I can’t pass him in training, he puts an arm in me and takes me out. He is a very important piece for Liverpool, and he is also a reference, he is always talking to everyone, he is very funny and it is good that there are people like that in the dressing room. It’s very difficult to beat him heads-up.”
Nunez might be struggling against the Netherlands international right now.
But the good news is that all of this will ultimately make him a much better attacker because eventually he will learn to overcome Van Dijk.
And when that happens, the Liverpool attacker should, in theory, find it much easier against inferior Premier League defenders – and there’s a lot of them, compared to Van Dijk.
It’s been a subdued start to life in English football for Nunez, who has three goals in seven Premier League outings.
He has already been sent off, receiving a straight red card back in August, but since returning from suspension he has let his football do the talking for the most part.
And from Liverpool’s perspective, long may it last.
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