ESPN pundit Craig Burley has backed Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez to ‘frighten defenders’ this season but said that the 24-year-old still needs to ‘improve his finishing’.
The 6 foot 2 Uruguayan netted 15 goals in his first campaign for the Reds (Transfermarkt) but was culpable of missing chances he’d have been expected to score, underperforming on his xG by 3.1 in the Premier League last term (FBref).
However, he’s been in scintillating form in pre-season, with four goals in the team’s first three matches ahead of today’s clash against Bayern Munich (Sofascore), his pace and physicality proving a nightmare for opposition defences to handle.
Speaking on ESPN FC, Burley is expecting big things of Nunez in 2023/24, saying: “Pre-season is what it is, but I think the two things that we absolutely know about this player – he is a handful. He’s physical, he’s fast, he’ll play on the shoulder. He’ll frighten defenders.”
However, the ex-Scotland international added that the 24-year-old must work on one crucial aspect of his game, stating: “The other side of the coin we know is that if he doesn’t improve his finishing, that’s a problem.”
Liverpool’s new number 9 might’ve been hoping for a bigger goal tally in his first campaign at Anfield, but judging by his recent form, he looks primed to truly take flight on Merseyside over the next few months.
Nunez appears to have all the traits in his locker to be one of the Premier League’s most lethal strikers in 2023/24 – let’s hope that proves to be the case.
You can see Burley’s comments below (from 4:01), via ESPN UK on YouTube: