Darwin Nunez has scored 10 goals in all competitions for Liverpool since his £85million move last summer – but he has not found the net in the league for nearly three months
Jurgen Klopp wants Darwin Nunez to be “more calm” and “move more” – as the Uruguayan tries to get to grips with English football.
Nunez, 23, has faced criticism since his £85million move from Benfica last summer. Although he has scored 10 goals for Liverpool this season, he has not found the net in the Premier League since November. On top of this, Liverpool are struggling to pick up results.
The Reds are ninth in the Premier League table – 10 points behind Manchester United in fourth – and have been knocked out of both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup. As such, the pressure is on Nunez – Klopp’s big summer signing – to start delivering the goods.
In an honest interview with Sky Sports, Nunez has admitted he is not performing to his high standards at the moment. The 16-cap international was in blistering form for Benfica last season – scoring 34 goals in all competitions, including six in the Champions League.
Nunez was asked what Klopp is demanding from him. He replied: “I think he wants to see what he saw in Benfica. For example in the games I played against Liverpool [in the Champions League], when I performed very well.
“I don’t think I’m playing well at the moment, but I always want to improve. I try to improve every day. Klopp knows my strength is my speed, running into space. Also, he tells me that I need to be more calm when I’m playing, and that I need to move more.
“He tells me that I need that, and that I am a player with a lot of quality. So, that’s more or less what he wants from me – and, of course, that I score goals.
“He has told me that I have to be calm in games when it comes to finishing. He wants me to take a second longer, because if I shoot with anger, or I rush it, then it will always go badly. He asks me to take an extra second, with calmness, and I will score.”
Nunez is hoping to emulate fellow Uruguayan Luis Suarez, who struggled for goals when he signed for Liverpool in January 2011. He scored just 15 Premier League goals during his first 18 months on Merseyside – but that tally jumped to 23 during the 2012/13 season.
Nunez added: “It is a case of adapting. Adapting is important – and not only here at the club. Things have to be good on the football side, but also with your family, because if your family is OK, then you will always be OK. My family and I are good.
“Obviously, I still have many things to work on, for example my finishing. But I think the same thing is happening to me as happened to Suarez. In his second year, he tore it up. Something similar happened to me already at Benfica.
“The first year went very badly for me [scoring just six league goals] and in the second, I exploded. Here, I think the same thing is happening. I hope next season will be like that. I’ll put my best forward and hopefully I’ll get a bit of luck.”
SOURCE: mirror.co.uk
