Graeme Souness has dubbed Darwin Nunez ‘a fabulous player’ but has still challenged the Liverpool striker to improve one aspect of his game.
The Uruguayan has seven goals from his first 14 appearances this season, just under half of his 2022/23 tally from just 33% the number of matches (Transfermarkt).
His latest strike was a wonder goal to see off Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup in midweek, and while the former Reds captain was largely complimentary of the 24-year-old, he still believes the number 9 can be more economical with his goals-to-chances ratio.
In his latest column for the Daily Mail, Souness wrote: “Darwin Nunez’s winner against Bournemouth was a reminder of his talent.
“Right now, he needs three chances to score a goal but is still a fabulous player who works his socks off and defenders will not enjoy playing against him. The challenge for him is to get a goal in every two chances.”
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When you see Nunez missing gilt-edged chances like the open goal against Toulouse in late October, it can be argued that he still has scope to be more clinical.
However, it’s not just in terms of his goals-per-game ratio that he’s shown improvement from last term – his shots on target percentage so far this season is 43.5%, slightly up on 41.7% from 2022/23.
Also, his rate of 2.14 shots on target per 90 minutes in the current campaign is his best since he first moved to Europe in 2019/20 (FBref).
Nunez has become more clinical and refined in his second year at Liverpool, and so long as he keeps getting into positions from which he can do damage, he should easily crack the 20-goal barrier by the end of the season. That’d be quite the riposte to his numerous critics since his move from Benfica.