Many top teams have struggled against Sean Dyche’s system in recent years, but Darwin Núñez provides the perfect solution for Liverpool in the Merseyside derby.
When Liverpool saw a 68-match unbeaten streak at Anfield end in January 2021, it was Sean Dyche in the opposition dugout, leading a Burnley side known for a level of tenacity that helped regularly upset top Premier League sides.
It was a match in which the Reds saw a plethora of attempted crosses easily diverted from a rigid defense, with the opposition waiting patiently for a mistake to take place before committing to an attack. Jürgen Klopp will come up against a familiar problem on Monday night as Everton, buoyed by a 1-0 win over league leaders Arsenal, make the short trip to visit Anfield.
If Dyche has proved anything from his first game in charge, it is that Everton already looks like a side that can excel from going back to the basics — a 4-4-2 system based on structure and hard work.
Liverpool’s previous struggle against this sort of system often boiled down to a lack of presence in the box. Of course, Roberto Firmino has almost defined the false nine position during his glittering career for the Reds, but as seen in last year’s clash against Everton, it was Divock Origi — a better focal point forward — who made the difference.
And that will be even more important this time around, with an out-of-form Liverpool side looking to make a late charge into the Champions League qualification places. Fortunately, this could be the game where Darwin Núñez comes to life.
The Uruguayan international has all the elements to his game required to trouble the likes of James Tarkowski and Conor Coady, and it will be down to Everton’s center-back pairing to stop him once they are forced back into their box. Núñez’s headed efforts this season show that he could now play a crucial role in derby matches for as long as the Dyche era continues at Goodison Park, and Klopp will be looking to utilize him as the target for incoming balls from out wide.
That could also be a positive for Cody Gakpo, whose height will also favor an approach that sees Liverpool increase its volume of crosses on Monday night. With a home crowd behind them, in a fixture where the Reds typically enjoy the majority of attacking phases, there can now be much more optimism despite the Toffees’ impressive win over the Gunners.
Whereas Liverpool previously struggled to break down Dyche’s defensive system, it now has the presence inside the box to combine more frequently with the crosses from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson, providing confidence for Klopp, who has seen his hand strengthened this week by the return of multiple key stars.
And Núñez, still yet to convince everyone of his value in Klopp’s side, could be the most important weapon of any for Liverpool, with the Uruguay star able to show the doubters why his future belongs on Merseyside, providing Everton with a problem that it hasn’t had a chance to solve. A good performance here could set him up for the next stage of his career at Anfield.
