Jamie Carragher thinks there could be something cooking with Darwin Nunez at Liverpool and how ‘you can’t take your eyes off him’ after their 2-0 win over Napoli in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
The 23-year-old came off the bench to have yet another ‘huge impact’, this time assisting and scoring, as Liverpool ended Napoli’s 13-game winning run in all competitions.
That was also Napoli’s first defeat this term, and even though nothing was on the line because both teams had already progressed to the knockout stages, it was a much-needed performance from Jurgen Klopp’s men.
Perhaps, during this season of worry, question marks and issues for the Reds, one promise has been their big-money summer signing.
Yes, Nunez has had his moments, from scoring off the bench on his debut against Manchester City to getting sent off against Crystal Palace, and then coming off the bench yesterday to turn the game towards his side’s favour.
Even though a certain Erling Haaland is smashing through everything in the colours of Manchester City, Carragher still thinks Nunez is putting up ’scary’ numbers, as he told CBS Sports on Paramount+ (01/11/22 at 10:30 pm).
“It’s really interesting watching Nunez, he comes on and makes a huge impact,” said Carragher. “He hasn’t set the world alight. He hasn’t done what Haaland has done. And people are expecting more for the price-tag.
“But when you actually look at the minutes he has been on the pitch, and how many goals he has scored per-minute, then his numbers are actually scary, so he has actually made a huge impact.
“But there is something not quite there where Jurgen Klopp is going to play him every single game. He’s still searching for a system and how to fit him in. He’s very, very raw. But I think there is something, I wouldn’t say special it’s a bit too much, you can’t take your eyes off him when you are watching him play.
“I think Liverpool have got a real player – the physical attributes of pace and power feels, to me, that he will be a right handful in the future.”
THE BEST OF NUNEZ TO COME…
Given that Nunez is playing for a Liverpool side that has been on the decline this season, the player himself is very raw and he has had suspensions and injuries along the way, then fans should be excited by what they are seeing from the all-action forward.
From his 15 games in all competitions since moving to Merseyside, he has scored seven goals and supplied two assists.
For a player that has seemingly been questioned, played for a struggling side and is yet to settle in, then those are pretty impressive numbers.
Imagine what he will produce once everything is clicking, so there is real promise there with Nunez.
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