Liverpool and Premier League hitman Darwin Nunez is struggling at the Qatar World Cup with Arsenal legend Liam Brady labelling his performance in Uruguay’s defeat to Portugal ‘really terrible’, speaking to RTE.
If you hadn’t been keeping a keen eye on Nunez’s form at club level, you’d never have guessed that this was a striker who arrived in the Middle East on the back of seven goals in seven games.
During the group-stages, Liverpool’s number 27 has looked less ‘ruthless’ and more ‘rusty’. On Monday night, as Uruguay went down 2-0 to a Bruno Fernandes-inspired Portugal, Nunez appeared as leggy and lost as his 35-year-old strike partner Edinson Cavani; countless promising attacks breaking down after yet another trampoline touch from a player who, on this evidence, would struggle to trap the proverbial sandbag.
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez struggling at the Qatar World Cup
“He has had two terrible games, really terrible games,” sighs Brady, a 1979 FA Cup winner with Arsenal, via the Scottish Sun.
“I watched him play for Liverpool. He looks like a lad that’s shot of confidence. I don’t know whether (Manchester City’s Erling) Haaland having the season he’s having has put so much pressure on the lad.
“He cost an awful lot of money. He looks like he can’t control the ball. You’ve got to be able to get the ball under control but it is coming off him. He’s been very poor.”
Nunez, in his defence, did come on leaps and bounds during his final few weeks at Liverpool before the World Cup break; a flurry of goals going hand-in-hand with some much-improved performances from Jurgen Klopp’s £64 million marquee signing.
And Nunez, it should not be forgotten, was plying his trade in Spain’s second tier just two years ago. Yes, he’s got a long, long way to go. More rough edges than a rusty chainshaw.
But, at the age of 23 and in his first season at the very top level, Nunez’s still has so much time on his side. Perhaps, if the Qatar World Cup came too late for Cavani and Luis Suarez, it also came too early for Nunez.
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